Grace's story about living with JIA

JIA - Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

Brookes Sport were lucky enough to interview #TEAMBrookes Swimming Club President, and Oxford Brookes Master's student, Grace Manning. Grace lives with JIA and uses swimming to find her "zen" and feel in control. The coronavirus pandemic forced Grace to confront the JIA and tell her teammates and university friends about it. Grace is now empowered by her impairment and feels she no longer needs to hide that part of her.

We are so excited to see Grace back in the pool next semester and we are proud of the mark she is making on the Swim Club, even without the water this semester.

Watch the full interview and please continue the conversation in the comments

Thank you to Grace Manning for taking the time to engage with us. We hope you all enjoy it and join in the conversations on social media through using #BrookesSportDisabilityMonth.

If you're interested in trying out our facilities, including the pool, which has now reopened, please visit Brookes Sport for details about our facilities.