Hope Journey talk and walk

On a bright Saturday morning, people living with joint, back and muscle pain came together at the Cambridge Science Centre for a free talk, tea and cake, and a walk in good company. The room filled up quickly, and it was lovely to see people who had come on their own find someone to chat to before the talk began. We held the morning as part of the Autoimmune Association’s Hope Journey Walk, which took place on the same day in Washington, D.C. and in local communities around the world.

Dr Anshuman Malaviya explained why persistent pain deserves a proper look

Our guest was Dr Anshuman Malaviya, Consultant Rheumatologist at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. His talk, "Musculoskeletal pain: is it all in my head?", took on a question many people in the room had been asked more than once. Three points stayed with us:

• Some signs point towards inflammation. Joint stiffness that lasts more than half an hour in the morning, swelling, and pain that eases as you get moving are all worth raising with your GP.
• A normal blood test does not always settle the question. Inflammatory conditions can take time to show up, so the pattern of symptoms over months often tells a doctor more than a single appointment or test result. Keeping a simple record really helps.
• All pain is real. The nervous system shapes how everyone feels pain, and pain without inflammation behind it still deserves care. There are treatments that help, whatever the cause.

The questions went on well past the scheduled time, and we are very grateful to Dr Malaviya for answering so many of them with such patience and care. Dr Malaviya gave his time voluntarily: he was not paid for the talk and has no financial relationship with mOI or OtoImmune.

The walk set off at 11:30 and everyone went at their own pace

After the talk, the group headed out on a walk around the Cambridge Science Park. Some people walked the whole way, some did part of it, and some stayed behind to keep talking.

The Autoimmune Association runs the Hope Journey Walk to raise awareness and funds

The Autoimmune Association is a nonprofit dedicated to autoimmune disease advocacy, awareness, education and research. Its first Hope Journey Walk, in October 2025, brought together 227 walkers and raised $95,000. This year’s walk was the second, and its "Walk Anywhere" option let people join from their own neighbourhoods and local parks. The money raised goes towards research, advocacy and patient support.

There are over 100 known autoimmune diseases, and the Association’s figures show that it takes an average of 4.5 years and visits to four different doctors to get an accurate diagnosis. Find out more, or donate, at autoimmune.org.

Thank you to everyone who came

Thank you to Dr Malaviya, to the Cambridge Science Centre for hosting us and making us feel so welcome, to the Autoimmune Association, and to everyone who gave up their Saturday morning to be there. Many of you told us how good it was to be in a room full of people who understood. We felt the same. We’ll be holding more talks and walks soon. If you would like a simple way to keep track of your symptoms and bring a clear record to your next appointment, join mOI.