Arthur's Heroes

In this first episode of Arthur’s Heroes 2025, our amazing host Jess joined us once more, to talk to Luke.

Diagnosed aged 11, Luke is an inspirational figure who has transformed his arthritis diagnosis into a motivational tool - from Juvenile Arthritis to Channel Swimming Dreams.

With a focus on sleep, nutrition, physio and non-impact sports, Luke's journey from crutches to kilometers includes completing a marathon, a half Ironman, and now, despite the challenges, he continues to push boundaries, aiming to be the first person with arthritis to swim the English Channel without a wetsuit and raising money in the process. You can follow Luke here.

Luke's mission is to raise awareness that this is not just an ‘old person disease’ and to inspire others with autoimmune conditions.

In this 17th episode Jess talks to our first international guest.. Sarah is a music student and trumpeter from Canada.

They discuss the challenge of being a musician who is diagnosed with arthritis and how Sarah showed the resilience to continue even when it looked like it would be impossible to carry on playing her beloved jazz trumpet. They also discuss her experience of being a student during the pandemic and how she came out of that more determined than ever to achieve her musical goals.

Useful links

• For free access to Arthur’s Place’s huge range of friendly advice and lifestyle information, visit Arthursplace.co.uk.

• Give and get support from other lovely folk, aged 18-35, with arthritis at Arthur’s Place Social in Facebook Groups.

In this 16th episode of Arthur’s Heroes Jess meets Peter who has blown away the stereotype of a person with arthritis by having a successful career racing motor cycles in national level competitions.

Peter started riding at the age of 16 and despite numerous setbacks, including major accidents and a diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis, has turned his love of racing into a career. They discuss the huge reserves of resilience that Peter has drawn upon as well as the people who have helped along the way..

Useful links

• For free access to Arthur’s Place’s huge range of friendly advice and lifestyle information, visit Arthursplace.co.uk.

• Give and get support from other lovely folk, aged 18-35, with arthritis at Arthur’s Place Social in Facebook Groups.

In this 15th episode of Arthur’s Heroes Jess meets Lucy to discuss the challenges and pleasures of being a new parent who has been diagnosed with arthritis.

Lucy already had two children when she received her diagnosis and had a very busy life working part-time as well as bringing up her children. When Lucy found out, very unexpectedly, that she was expecting her third child she realised that she would have to approach parenting in a very different way. She talks to Jess about re-defining her role as a mum and how Project Mum, the Arthur’s Place wellness kit helped.

Useful links

• For free access to Arthur’s Place’s huge range of friendly advice and lifestyle information, visit Arthursplace.co.uk.

• Give and get support from other lovely folk, aged 18-35, with arthritis at Arthur’s Place Social in Facebook Groups.

In this 14th episode of Arthur’s Heroes, Jess meets Jamie who has shown great resilience since his diagnosis and channelled it into a force for good for the community.

He has worked towards helping arthritis sufferers develop a more positive mindset by setting up Yoga for AS. This organisation helps people who have been diagnosed with arthritis to not only increase their physical flexibility, but to develop a positive mental approach to life through the power of yoga.

Useful links

• For free access to Arthur’s Place’s huge range of friendly advice and lifestyle information, visit Arthursplace.co.uk.

• Give and get support from other lovely folk, aged 18-35, with arthritis at Arthur’s Place Social in Facebook Groups.

In this 13th episode of Arthur’s Heroes, Jess meets Ellen, whose latest Instagram project @flareupandcumming offers the chronic illness community a platform to explore sex and intimacy.

As a YouTuber and blogger, Ellen has shared her life as a young adult with psoriatic arthritis, alopecia areata and uveitis for 10 years. It’s given her a remarkable ability to embrace her body’s differences and a passion for challenging perceptions of beauty by looking past disability. 

Now, she’s daring to ask the personal questions you might not want to discuss with your doctor, so you don’t have to. Tune in to hear more:

About Arthur’s Heroes

Arthur’s Heroes shines a light on inspirational young adults cracking on with life despite a diagnosis of arthritis. It’s brought to you by Arthur's Place, the award-winning magazine website, social network and online events host.

Useful links

• For free access to Arthur’s Place’s huge range of friendly advice and lifestyle information, visit Arthursplace.co.uk.

• Give and get support from other lovely folk, aged 18-35, with arthritis at Arthur’s Place Social in Facebook Groups.

• Support our campaign to encourage mask use in crowded places, even when the law changes. Search #thanksformasking on Instagram.

In this 12th episode of Arthur's Heroes, Jess talks to Kate, founder of the Wren Project, which provides free one-to-one listening support to people newly diagnosed with autoimmune diseases.

Despite still coming to terms with her own diagnoses - including RA and Lupus, Kate's relentless commitment to making the world a better place through human connection is inspirational.

Driven in part by her previous work in getting people through emotional experiences, Kate explains the charity's origins, its aim to empower people to feel less lonely, and tells listeners how to get involved. Kate also shares what she's learned about herself along the way. To hear why she finds comfort in selflessly helping others, listen now.

About Arthur’s Heroes

Arthur’s Heroes shines a light on inspirational young adults cracking on with life despite a diagnosis of arthritis. It’s brought to you by Arthur's Place, the award-winning magazine website, social network and online events host.

Useful links

• For free access to Arthur’s Place’s huge range of friendly advice and lifestyle information, visit Arthursplace.co.uk.

• Give and get support from other lovely folk, aged 18-35, with arthritis at Arthur’s Place Social in Facebook Groups.

• Support our campaign to encourage mask use in crowded places, even when the law changes. Search #thanksformasking on Instagram.

In this 11th episode of Arthur’s Heroes, Jess meets Jack, a 24-year-old blogger, poet and former competitive trampolinist, who was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis aged 19.

Jack recently blogged for Arthur’s Place about his participation in a drug trial which changed his life dramatically for the better, but which ended abruptly when the pandemic hit, leaving him despondent and despairing. Jack shares the ups and downs of his trial experience with Jess, including how his sheer determination led to a positive outcome.

A self-confessed child of musical theatre, who to this day still bursts into random song, Jack loves the theatre, listens to loads of podcasts and joined our book club with The House at Pooh Corner as his happy book.

About Arthur’s Heroes

Arthur’s Heroes shines a light on inspirational young adults cracking on with life despite a diagnosis of arthritis. It’s brought to you by Arthur's Place, the award-winning magazine website, social network and online events host.

Useful links

• For free access to Arthur’s Place’s huge range of friendly advice and lifestyle information, visit Arthursplace.co.uk.

• Give and get support from other lovely folk, aged 18-35, with arthritis at Arthur’s Place Social in Facebook Groups.

• Support our campaign to encourage mask use in crowded places, even when the law changes. Search #thanksformasking on Instagram.

• No Introductions Needed is Jack’s personal blog

• Find Jack on Instagram at @Jackposnett, and for poetry at @jackchats

Episode 10 – Molly

In this tenth episode of Arthur’s Heroes, Jess meets self-described “crafter, nerd and adrenaline junkie” Molly, who was diagnosed with JIA aged 13.

Molly’s pursuits include bungee jumping and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the world’s highest freestanding mountain. “I like to try to prove people wrong in life,” she says. “Anything that people think someone with arthritis wouldn’t, couldn’t or shouldn’t do, I think, ‘hmm really?’”

More recently, as a trainee nurse, Molly witnessed an ankle fusion surgery performed by the same surgeon that carried out an ankle fusion operation on her. This is one courageous woman.

Arthur’s Heroes shines a light on inspirational young adults cracking on with life despite a diagnosis of arthritis. It’s brought to you by Arthur's Place, the award-winning magazine website, social network and online events host.

• For free access to Arthur’s Place’s huge range of friendly advice and lifestyle information, visit Arthursplace.co.uk.

• Give and get support from other lovely folk, aged 18-35, with arthritis. Search for Arthur’s Place Social in Facebook Groups.

• Support our campaign to encourage mask use in crowded places, even when the law changes. Search #thanksformasking on Instagram.

In Episode 9, host Jess discovers 25-year-old English teacher Zoë’s secret to managing a high-pressure career, alongside fibromyalgia and joint hypermobility syndrome. From what and when to tell your boss, to asking for support, Zoë talks about how she handles those tricky situations that inevitably crop up when you combine a chronic illness and a demanding job. For tips on coping at work or career inspiration, listen now.

If you would you like to be a guest on Arthur’s Heroes or tell your story in words, email us at [email protected].

About Arthur’s Heroes

Arthur’s Heroes shines a light on inspirational young adults cracking on with life despite a diagnosis of arthritis. It’s brought to you by Arthur's Place, the award-winning magazine website, social network and online events host.

Useful links

• For free access to Arthur’s Place’s huge range of friendly advice and lifestyle information, visit Arthursplace.co.uk.

• Give and get support from other young adults with arthritis at Arthur’s Place Social on Facebook

• Shout out to Codeword Pineapple, a fantastic initiative from Arthur’s Heroes host Jess, which aims to help people with invisible illnesses communicate their needs without having to explain.