Kate Gilbert

The third edition of the world bestseller 'Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Giant Cell Arteritis: a survival guide, is out! This time I've been joined by a wonderful dynamic colleague, consultant rheumatologist Vanessa Quick, to add a whole new dimension to the book - the voice of a practicing consultant. We have lots of new information about diagnosis and medication, plus a chapter written for us on exercise and physical activity by Dr Anne O'Brien, a specialist physiotherapist.

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! Little did I know that it would sell tens of thousands of copies around the world, and be showered with 5-star reviews.