Leeds Rhinos star Staveley hits the road for charity challenge

Aimee Staveley starred in Leeds Rhinos' Women's Super League Grand Final win over Castleford Tigers. Picture by Steve Riding.

A bone-chilling diagnosis did not stop Aimee Staveley becoming a multiple trophy winner with Leeds Rhinos and now she is going the extra mile - or 60 - for fellow sufferers.

Staveley is aiming to run 100 kilometres, around 62 miles, this month to raise money for Versus Arthritis, a charity supporting the 10 million people in the UK who have the condition which causes pain, swelling and stiffness in a joint or joints.

The 30-year-old second-rower was diagnosed eight years ago and is using her running task as extra training. She is now past half way to her target and is running between six and 11 kilometres per day.

“The main reason for doing it was to raise money for charity,” she explained. “During lockdown I have been furloughed from my job at Specsavers and have a bit of time on my hands [so] I thought I could maybe do a challenge.

Aimee Staveley on the charge for Rhinos agianst Wakefield Trinity. Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com.

“I wanted to set myself something that is really hard to do so I feel proud when I have done it. I thought the best charity to do it for would be the one that is close to me.”

Staveley has had to overcome more obstacles than most rugby players. She recalled: “Before I was diagnosed I was playing for Stanningley and I was barely managing to walk, let alone play.

“I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis and when my doctor told me what it was, I thought the worst because all you really imagine is older people with it who can barely walk and have disfigured joints from it.

“I thought I am going to be like this forever, I was in a lot of pain and there will be nothing they can do. I was lucky, though and they started me on some drugs near enough on the day of the diagnosis that massively helped me.

Rhinos women celebrate their Grand Final triumph. Picture by (Isabel Pearce SWpix.com

“On a day to day basis I can sometimes wake up in a lot of pain I never understood when people said ‘it’s cold or it’s damp and I can feel it in my bones’, but you really can when you have arthritis as it really gets to your joints.

“The main impact is the tiredness because it’s constant and nothing ever takes the fatigue away. No matter what type of arthritis you have, the fatigue is always there, which can take over your life at times. For me, who works full time and then trains or has a game, the next day I can feel like not getting out of bed.”