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Table 1 Reasons that family retreat participation was helpful

From: An evaluation of a juvenile idiopathic arthritis retreat for families

Themes

Examples of representative quotes from parents

Strengthened family as a unit

Mother – “Yes it brought us together and we were able to focus in a positive way on our daughter and each other.”

Helps child with JIA understand he or she is not alone – there are others out there like me

Mother – “Yes! It made us see that there are other kids out there like my daughter.”

Mother – “Yes! My daughter’s illness has affected our entire family. By spending the weekend with other families, we have seen that we are not alone, while living with this disease.”

Father – “Yes. These types of opportunities allow my daughter to see that there are other kids like her. It allows my sons to also see that other kids deal with this disease and that other siblings deal with it as well.”

Other family members learned more about the child’s disease

Father – “Yes, it helps other siblings understand what their sister is going through.”

Opportunities to learn from other families

Mother – “Helpful for us to meet other families and brainstorm various solutions to problems.”

Father – “Absolutely! We all need to hear the messages and learn how other families are dealing with arthritis.”