What we do
CCAA is a leading UK based JIA charity run by a group of people who, through personal experiences, have a passionate interest in helping support children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) and their families. The children and families are always at the heart of our work. Everyone who is involved in the charity has been affected by JIA in one way or another, either as parents, siblings or young people with JIA themselves.
We are passionate about supporting others and providing support for children with JIA and their families. JIA can occur at any age and take one of several forms, but what is similar about the condition is the pain and frustration that affects the child, and the feeling of disbelief that affects the whole family. We offer emotional and practical support to maximise choices and opportunities and raise awareness of childhood arthritis in the community.
Our Aims
Our aim is to provide various recreational and educational experiences to children with JIA, to help them believe that, despite their medical condition, they can achieve their dreams and aspirations. We want to help families feel more supported and less alone through their JIA journey. We aim to do this through connecting families by holding events such as our Family Support Weekends twice a year, providing a network of local support through our parent led groups and events, providing guidance and information on hospital visits, treatments and education and being there for your family, when you need us.
Our History
After her daughters JIA diagnosis, our founder, Caroline Cox, realised that no support network existed for families of children with arthritis. Caroline set about to change this and met with three other parents locally, who also had children with JIA. With her passion for helping families to connect, she got in touch with health professionals to gain support and CCAA grew. Caroline always said “you can’t bury your head in the sand” and she set out to make sure families could support each other and were better supported by their health care teams. Over the past 30 years we continue her vision and have helped thousands of families to bring positive change to their JIA journey.
In 2019 CCAA incorporated with the parent led network ‘JIA Matters‘, founded by Emily Earle, to connect JIA families in their local area. Emily believed that families should not have to live an isolated life with JIA. She felt that children with JIA could gain real benefits from meeting each other, that parents could get comfort from sharing their journeys with others in their local area and that siblings should be included.
These groups have now evolved into our Local Area Groups.
Percy Penguin & Friends
When Caroline’s daughter was under care at Great Ormond Street Hospital, the ward she was on was called the Penguin Ward, so a penguin became the CCAA mascot and logo. It was at one of our family weekends that we asked the children to name him. Percy was the most popular, and so he became Percy Penguin. The children love him and enjoy having a cuddle with him at the weekend!
Percy has helped many children and young people for more than 30 years to follow their dreams, and he’s become a part of many families. He has made new friends who also know how much JIA matters: Oli, Poly and SJ! Together with his new friends, Percy hopes that many more families across the United Kingdom will find the support and friendship they need to know that they are not alone with JIA.
Our Committee
The CCAA committee are a group of volunteers striving to offer families emotional and practical support when living with the effects of JIA. Through our personal experiences and expertise, we aim to provide the help your family may need, and if we are unable to, we will always try to signpost to the right advice.
Our Patrons
We are very fortunate to have the support of some incredible patrons. CCAA are extremely grateful for the support and time they give to help us provide resources and information to families. You can learn more about the patrons that support us on our patrons page.