Inspiring Teen Kyle Raises Awareness and Funds for Juvenile Arthritis Research

The Awesome Astrocomet SMP

Meet Kyle, a remarkable 16-year-old who, despite facing the challenges of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA), is making a significant impact in the fight against the disease. Kyle recently organised a fundraising Twitch livestream event to support Juvenile Arthritis Research, showcasing not only his gaming skills but also his determination to make a difference.

Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis is a chronic condition affecting children and young people, causing joint inflammation and pain. Kyle, who was diagnosed with JIA at the age of 15, decided to channel his experiences into a positive force for change.

With a passion for gaming and a desire to raise awareness about JIA, he organized a fun live-stream fundraising event including a fantastic Christmas quiz with fellow gamers from the Astrocomet SMP and raised a fantastic £110 on his GoFundMe page, smashing the original £100 target that he had set. You can find details of Kyle and his friends' YouTube and Twitch channels here to give them a follow. 

The Twitch livestream not only served as a platform for fundraising but also helped to raise awareness of JIA which is absolutely vital in helping to break the misconception that arthritis only affects older people. 

This isn't the first time that Kyle has used Twitch streaming and gaming to raise funds for Juvenile Arthritis Research. Earlier in 2023, Kyle raised £80 through another event. We are extremely grateful to Kyle and the other brilliant gamers and live-streamers who have been part of these events contributing to the ongoing efforts to find better treatments and, ultimately, a cure for the condition.

Kyle's dedication to making a difference didn't stop with the livestream. He further showcased his creativity by writing a poignant poem that captures the emotional and physical toll of living with juvenile arthritis. It is called "Impending fate" and Kyle wanted us to share it so that others can understand what life with JIA can be like. The poem is about taking a medication called methotrexate. It is an immunosuppressant medication often used for those with JIA. It helps reduce inflammation by suppressing your body's immune system. One of the ways that methotrexate can be given is by injection in the form of a pre-filled autoinjector 'pen' and this is what Kyle describes in his poem here. 

"Impending fate" a poem by Kyle Brooks 

You blench my senses,
As the sharp prick compresses
The flank hastily tenses
My body supposedly cleanses 

How must one articulate
Such feeling of impending fate.
Why must I try emulate
A being of fit state. 

Most think of gold as lavish,
Yet to me, you do ravish.
Heal me, send me to the parish,
Or simply, just let me vanish. 

A complex name to seem profound.
Biggest con award you are crowned.
Only warning being a Click! sound,
Legs give way, now I'm on the ground.

A nauseous impendment prolongs,
Site burns like glowing tongs.
To be free my heart longs,
Clouded mind filled with hellish songs.

"Impending Fate" not only serves as a personal expression of Kyle's experiences but also as a powerful tool to raise awareness about juvenile arthritis.

Kyle stands out as a beacon of inspiration with his fundraising efforts and poetic expression -  a testament to the incredible impact that individuals, regardless of age, can have when they channel their passion and talent into meaningful action.

Thank you Kyle for all you are doing to support Juvenile Arthritis Research. 

To follow the brilliant live-streamers and gamers that are part of the Astrocomet SMP, you can find their links below: 

@ChefJisoo: https://twitch.tv/chefjisoo

@Togglejam : https://twitch.tv/togglejam

@Arrowgamergirl https://www.twitch.tv/arrowgamergirl

@Captcod : https://www.twitch.tv/captcod1

@Joseph_Gamer6: https://www.twitch.tv/joseph_gamer6

@SpycoLive : https://www.twitch.tv/spycolive