Help is at hand for Pembrokeshire rheumatoid arthritis sufferers and their families at a keynote conference to be held at Withybush Conference Centre tomorrow (Saturday). The National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) is hosting an Open Day offering information, advice and support to sufferers and their carers and to be attended by NRAS medical advisor for Wales, Dr. Stefan Siebert, and volunteer network manager, Clare Jacklin. The event will provide an opportunity to meet other people who live with the disease and speak to a consultant, clinical nurse specialist, physiotherapist and occupational therapist. Demonstrations of disabled aids will be given, advice on home adaptations for people with mobility or dexterity problems and there will be an information board on Lupus. The National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society is the only UK organisation devoted to supporting and informing people living with rheumatoid arthritis. This auto-immune disease can strike at any age, including early childhood, and can destroy joints, cause serious disability and attack major organs, resulting in heart disease. Diagnosis used to be difficult, but now, new treatments offer genuine hope and relief from pain. Claire Tattersall, from Pembroke, is one Pembrokeshire sufferer who began to experience symptoms at the age of 14. She struggled to get a firm diagnosis whilst continuing to battle against the disease. Claire managed to hold down a demanding job working with adults with challenging behaviour, but some aspects of her work were stressful and triggered a worsening of the condition. She had to give up work and became confined to bed. Her personal life was also affected. She said: "I came back from my honeymoon and was in hospital two weeks later; it wasn't a great start and, basically, it ruined my marriage." Jean Bailey-Dering, from Saundersfoot, was also diagnosed at 43-years-old. The effects forced her to give up teaching six months later and within 12 months she had undergone her first joint replacement surgery. She has since undergone 12 rounds of surgery, mainly to replace diseased joints. Some joints replaced early in her illness now also need replacing. She said: "RA is often confused with the arthritis or 'rheumatism' of old age. I would not want to minimise the effects of the latter, but the impact of a vicious auto-immune disease which can result in young children becoming confined to a wheelchair should be better understood." Both Claire and Jean are now benefiting from recently licensed treatments which have proved tremendously successful in modifying the effects of rheumatoid arthritis. Both women are active members of the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society and regularly make support calls to newly diagnosed patients who request help and information. The NRAS Open Day will be held at Withybush Hospital Conference Centre, Fishguard Road, Haverfordwest, tomorrow (Saturday) between 11 am and 4 pm. Dr. Stefan Siebert (NRAS medical advisor for Wales) will speak at 1 pm and Clare Jacklin (NRAS volunteer network wanager) at approx 1.30 pm. There will an opportunity to ask question both speakers. For further details, please contact NRAS on 0845 458 3969 or email [email protected]">[email protected] [email protected]">[email protected]>. NRAS also has a comprehensive and informative website which provides information about all aspects of living with RA as well as up to date reports on medical developments and research. The website address is http://www.rheumatoid.org">www.rheumatoid.org http://www.rheumatoid.org">www.rheumatoid.org>