Kate Gilbert

I fell ill with Polymyalgia Rheumatica twenty years ago, when I was at the height of my career as an academic. I couldn't find information and support to help me cope, and so I got together with four other women, the 'PMR Fighters' to set about creating an organisation that could help patients. Through this we discovered Giant Cell Arteritis, PMR's sister condition. Eventually I left academia and worked voluntarily as Chair of Trustees of PMRGCAuk. In that role I met many wonderful patients and marvellous rheumatologists and other professionals. I worked on national and international working groups and the submission to NICE to make Tocilizumab available for recalcitrant GCA. It seemed natural to put all this great experience into a book! Now it's time to set to work again and create a new updated edition.