Every year, the AiArthritis team returns from EULAR with new research, expert interviews, and important conversations. This year, they also gathered lived experience data from the community to better understand how the topics discussed at the conference compare with what patients experience every day.

In this episode, host Leila P.L. Valete is joined by patient representative James Hollen to revisit the biggest themes from EULAR 2026, including fatigue, pain, mental health, and the impact of disease on work and daily life. They share what the community told us through lived experience surveys, reflect on James' first EULAR conference as a patient representative, and explore why patient voices are becoming an essential part of research conversations.

Whether you followed our Go With Us! coverage or are hearing about EULAR for the first time, this episode highlights how lived experiences help shape better research, more meaningful conversations, and a stronger future for patient care.

Episode Highlights:

• What lived experience surveys revealed about fatigue, pain, mental health, and quality of life
• How patient perspectives aligned with key research presented at EULAR 2026
• James' reflections from attending his first EULAR conference as a patient representative
• Why patient voices are becoming an essential part of research and healthcare innovation
• How community feedback will help shape future AiArthritis Voices 360 conversations

• Fatigue Survey: https://bit.ly/fatigueLED
  • Fatigue EULAR: https://youtu.be/0e57fykYImc
• Mental Health & Exercise Survey: https://bit.ly/mentalhealthLED
  • Mental Health & Exercise EULAR: https://youtu.be/Akc5So6ePd0
• Pain Survey: https://bit.ly/painLED
  • Pain EULAR: https://youtu.be/Y7vFImtSfBw
• Work & School Survey: https://bit.ly/workandschoolLED
  • Work & School EULAR: https://youtu.be/fzygxv1CewU
• Cell Therapy (CAR-T) Survey: https://bit.ly/celltherapyLED
  • Cell Therapy (CAR-T) EULAR: https://youtu.be/f7fkAK_u94o
• AiArthritis Talk Show Community Response Form: https://bit.ly/AiArthritisVoices360Response
• Playlist to All Videos: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZW5ZyvNnYl1_ZCVQQCw2ucGik3rrICMP&si=pkUFTjGGA29RjbSU
• Have questions about this episode or topics you want to hear us bring to the table? Email us at podcast@aiarthritis.org
• Donate to Support the Show: www.aiarthritis.org/donate

Follow AiArthritis on all social media platforms @IFAiArthritis

Sign up for our Monthly AiArthritis Voices 360 Talk Show newsletter! HERE

Connect with our Co-Hosts:

Leila is the Health Education Manager at the International Foundation for AiArthritis. She is a person living with Lupus and Sjögren’s disease. She is passionate about inclusion and diversity in health education and meeting individuals where they are at in order to learn in a way that resonates with them.

Connect with Leila:

Tiktok: @Lupuslifestyle.lei

Exercise is one of the most recommended ways to manage AiArthritis diseases, yet for many patients, staying active can feel overwhelming. Pain, fatigue, disease flares, and mental health challenges often make the advice to "just exercise more" unrealistic. In this episode, Leila P.L. Valete and Eileen Davidson explore what research and lived experience reveal about movement, physical activity, and exercise for people living with AiArthritis diseases.

Drawing from research presented at EULAR 2026, patient lived experience data, and their own personal journeys, Leila and Eileen discuss the barriers that prevent people from staying active and why movement looks different for everyone. They also explore the connection between physical activity and mental health, highlighting how anxiety, depression, and chronic pain can affect motivation while sharing practical strategies that make movement more accessible.

Whether you're just getting started or adapting your routine during a flare, this episode offers realistic guidance, trusted resources, and encouragement to help you find movement that works for your body.

Episode Highlights:

• What EULAR 2026 research revealed about exercise and non-pharmacological care
• Common barriers that make physical activity difficult for people living with AiArthritis diseases
• The connection between movement, mental health, and long-term disease management
• Patient experiences with adapting exercise during flares and changing symptoms
• Practical movement ideas and trusted resources to help you stay active safely

• Just One Move - https://justonemove.ca/
• Arthritis Research Canada Education Series - https://www.arthritisresearch.ca/education-series/strong-with-arthritis/
• Arthritis Foundation - https://www.arthritis.org/health-wellness/healthy-living/physical-activity/getting-started/your-exercise-solution
• Have questions about this episode or topics you want to hear us bring to the table? Email us at podcast@aiarthritis.org
• Donate to Support the Show: www.aiarthritis.org/donate

Follow AiArthritis on all social media platforms @IFAiArthritis

Sign up for our Monthly AiArthritis Voices 360 Talk Show newsletter! HERE

Connect with our Co-Hosts:

Leila is the Health Education Manager at the International Foundation for AiArthritis. She is a person living with Lupus and Sjögren’s disease. She is passionate about inclusion and diversity in health education and meeting individuals where they are at in order to learn in a way that resonates with them.

Connect with Leila:

Tiktok: @Lupuslifestyle.lei

Eileen Davidson is a rheumatoid arthritis patient advocate from Vancouver Canada. She volunteers with the Arthritis Research Canada patient advisory board and the Canadian Institute of Health Research - Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis patient engagement research ambassador, among others. When not advocating she is writing about her experience with arthritis through Creaky Joints, Healthline, Chronic Eileen or can be found being a mom to her son Jacob.

Connect with Eileen:

Twitter: @ChronicEileen

AiArthritis was built by listening to patients. For more than 15 years, conversations within the community have shaped programs, resources, research initiatives, and advocacy efforts designed to improve the patient journey. In this episode, Leila and Tiffany discuss AiArthritis' next chapter and how the organization is expanding its commitment to collecting, analyzing, and acting on lived experience data.

The conversation explores what lived experience data is and why it matters. Patient stories can help identify unmet needs, improve healthcare conversations, influence research priorities, and drive meaningful change. Leila and Tiffany also share how AiArthritis is creating new opportunities for patients, care partners, and advocates to contribute their experiences and ensure every voice is counted.

Whether you have participated in an AiArthritis program before or are just discovering the organization, this episode offers a behind the scenes look at how patient experiences become real world impact. It also highlights new ways to get involved and help shape future programs, resources, and advocacy efforts.

Episode Highlights:

• How sharing your experience can help improve care for future patients
• Why AiArthritis is expanding its focus on lived experience data
• Real examples of patient feedback leading to new resources and solutions
• New ways to participate in research and community driven initiatives
• What's coming next for AiArthritis Voices and patient engagement

• Mystery Patient Guide: https://www.aiarthritis.org/undiagnosed
• JHA/HCP Communication Toolkit: https://www.aiarthritis.org/JIACommunication
• Submit Your Rant: https://www.aiarthritis.org/rant
• WTHellth Website: https://wthellth.org/
• Have questions about this episode or topics you want to hear us bring to the table? Email us at podcast@aiarthritis.org
• Donate to Support the Show: www.aiarthritis.org/donate

Follow AiArthritis on all social media platforms @IFAiArthritis

Sign up for our Monthly AiArthritis Voices 360 Talk Show newsletter! HERE

Connect with our Co-Hosts:

Tiffany is the CEO at International Foundation for AiArthritis and uses her professional expertise in mind-mapping and problem solving to help others, like her, who live with AiArthritis diseases work in unison to identify and solve unresolved community issues.

Connect with Tiffany:

• Facebook: @tiffanyAiArthritis
• Twitter: @TiffWRobertson
• LinkedIn: @TiffanyWestrichRobertson

Leila is the Health Education Manager at the International Foundation for AiArthritis. She is a person living with Lupus and Sjögren’s disease. She is passionate about inclusion and diversity in health education and meeting individuals where they are at in order to learn in a way that resonates with them.

Connect with Leila:

Tiktok: @Lupuslifestyle.lei

Vagus nerve stimulation has been a hot topic in the AiArthritis community, and for good reason. In this episode, host Tiffany sits down with Dr. Vibeke Strand, Adjunct Clinical Professor in the Division of Immunology/Rheumatology at Stanford University, to explore what VNS actually is, what the research shows, and why it could be a game changing option for people who have not found success with traditional treatments.

Whether you have struggled to find a treatment that works or are simply curious about what is emerging in the rheumatology space, this episode shares useful information you can bring to your next doctor's appointment.

NOTE: As of April 2026 this device is only available in the United States. We will keep you updated as it becomes available elsewhere!

Episode Highlights:

• What VNS is and how it connects to inflammation in AiArthritis diseases
• How VNS differs from traditional biologics/DMARDs and whether it can be used alongside them
• What the research says about its effectiveness beyond just pain relief
• Who might be a good candidate and how to start the conversation with your care team

• Have questions about this episode or topics you want to hear us bring to the table? Email us at podcast@aiarthritis.org
• Donate to Support the Show: www.aiarthritis.org/donate

Follow AiArthritis on all social media platforms @IFAiArthritis

Sign up for our Monthly AiArthritis Voices 360 Talk Show newsletter! HERE

Connect with our Co-Hosts:

Tiffany is the CEO at International Foundation for AiArthritis and uses her professional expertise in mind-mapping and problem solving to help others, like her, who live with AiArthritis diseases work in unison to identify and solve unresolved community issues.

Connect with Tiffany:

• Facebook: @tiffanyAiArthritis
• Twitter: @TiffWRobertson
• LinkedIn: @TiffanyWestrichRobertson

Dr. Vibeke Strand is an Adjunct Clinical Professor in the Division of Immunology/Rheumatology at Stanford University, where she has taught since 1993, and previously at University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Strand has also served as a consultant in clinical research and regulatory affairs to pharmaceutical and biotech companies since 1991. She has been a clinical rheumatologist for more than 40 years, previously in subspecialty practice in San Francisco, as a clinical investigator, and subsequently senior positions in clinical research at three pharmaceutical/biotech companies before embarking on her consulting practice.

Among her many accomplishments, Dr. Strand has authored over 450 original publications, is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, and a Master of the American College of Rheumatology.

Sleep problems are one of the most common and most frustrating experiences for people living with AiArthritis diseases. In this episode, Eileen Davidson breaks down why getting a good night's rest can feel nearly impossible when you're living with an AiArthritis disease, and shares what has actually helped her along the way.

Eileen explores the many reasons sleep is so disrupted by AiArthritis diseases, from pain and stiffness to the role that chronic inflammation plays in interfering with the body's natural sleep cycles. She offers an honest, personal reflection on what sleepless nights really look like from a patient's perspective and why this issue deserves more attention in conversations about disease management.

Whether you're lying awake wondering if anyone else understands what you're going through, or you're looking for practical steps to try tonight, this episode offers both validation and real, actionable guidance from someone who lives it every day.

Episode Highlights:

• Why sleep is uniquely challenging for people living with AiArthritis diseases
• The connection between inflammation and disrupted sleep
• A personal reflection on what sleep struggles really feel like
• Small, realistic habits and strategies that can actually make a difference

• Have questions about this episode or topics you want to hear us bring to the table? Email us at podcast@aiarthritis.org
• Donate to Support the Show: www.aiarthritis.org/donate

Follow AiArthritis on all social media platforms @IFAiArthritis

Sign up for our Monthly AiArthritis Voices 360 Talk Show newsletter! HERE

Connect with our Co-Hosts:

Eileen Davidson is a rheumatoid arthritis patient advocate from Vancouver Canada. She volunteers with the Arthritis Research Canada patient advisory board and the Canadian Institute of Health Research - Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis patient engagement research ambassador, among others. When not advocating she is writing about her experience with arthritis through Creaky Joints, Healthline, Chronic Eileen or can be found being a mom to her son Jacob.

Connect with Eileen:

Twitter: @ChronicEileen

A new diagnosis can bring relief, fear, and uncertainty all at once. In this episode, Leila and Deb share advice from the AiArthritis community on what they wish they had known right after being diagnosed with an autoimmune or autoinflammatory arthritis disease.

Leila and Deb explore the importance of trusting your body, especially when tests are inconclusive or symptoms are dismissed. This episode highlights how self advocacy, second opinions, and clear communication with your care team can shape your experience. Community members also reflect on the emotional side of diagnosis, including grief, patience, and the mindset shift that comes with learning to live with chronic illness.

Whether you are newly diagnosed or supporting someone who is, this episode offers validation and practical guidance for navigating the early stages of the patient journey.

Episode Highlights:

• Why trusting your body matters, even when tests are unclear
• How self advocacy and second opinions can change your care experience
• The emotional impact of diagnosis and the importance of grace and patience
• Practical tools like symptom tracking, rest, and shared decision making to support long term management

• Have questions about this episode or topics you want to hear us bring to the table? Email us at podcast@aiarthritis.org
• Donate to Support the Show: www.aiarthritis.org/donate

Follow AiArthritis on all social media platforms @IFAiArthritis

Sign up for our Monthly AiArthritis Voices 360 Talk Show newsletter! HERE

Connect with our Co-Hosts:

Leila is the Health Education Manager at the International Foundation for AiArthritis. She is a person living with Lupus and Sjögren’s disease. She is passionate about inclusion and diversity in health education and meeting individuals where they are at in order to learn in a way that resonates with them.

Connect with Leila:

• Tiktok: @Lupuslifestyle.lei

Deb Constien is a medically retired Registered Dietitian and a Representative for the AiArthritis with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Deb is also on the Advisory Council for WREN- Wisconsin Research Education Network and a Patient Family Advisor- PFA on an International PCORI research study for ACP- Advanced Care Planning.

Connect with Deb:

• Facebook: @deb.majcherconstien
• Instagram: @debconstien
• Twitter: @debconstien

Oral health is often treated as optional or cosmetic, but for people living with AiArthritis diseases, it can have a real impact on pain, fatigue, nutrition, and quality of life. In this episode, Leila and Bridget explore why oral health deserves a place in routine disease management and why so many patients are never told their symptoms are disease related.

The episode looks at how autoimmune conditions and common medications can affect the mouth, from dry mouth and gum inflammation to delayed healing and increased infection risk. It also breaks down the connection between oral health, the immune system, and systemic inflammation, helping patients better understand why issues can show up even when oral hygiene is strong.

Join us on this episode to hear practical, gentle strategies for protecting oral health when saliva is reduced or sensitivity is high. The discussion emphasizes adaptation over perfection and reinforces that oral health challenges are not personal failures, but part of living with complex chronic disease.

Episode Highlights:

• Why oral health is often overlooked and why it matters in autoimmune disease
• How inflammation, medications, and reduced saliva affect the mouth
• The link between oral health and conditions like Sjögren’s, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and scleroderma
• Gentle, realistic strategies to protect teeth and gums without causing more harm

• Go With Us! To ACR 2025: Oral Health: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5XlwG4cNXo
• See more about co-existing conditions, disease management & more www.aiarthritis.org/patientjourney
• Have questions about this episode or topics you want to hear us bring to the table? Email us at podcast@aiarthritis.org
• Donate to Support the Show: www.aiarthritis.org/donate

Follow AiArthritis on all social media platforms @IFAiArthritis

Sign up for our Monthly AiArthritis Voices 360 Talk Show newsletter! HERE

Connect with our Co-Hosts:

Leila is the Health Education Manager at the International Foundation for AiArthritis. She is a person living with Lupus and Sjögren’s disease. She is passionate about inclusion and diversity in health education and meeting individuals where they are at in order to learn in a way that resonates with them.

Connect with Leila:

• Tiktok: @Lupuslifestyle.lei

Bridget Dandaraw-Seritt founded a patient based organization that advocates for access to compassionate care and provides community support. She’s a published author on therapeutic cannabis, presents at medical conferences, and is engaged in the policy making process.

Connect with Bridget:

Facebook: Advocates for Compassionate Therapy Now