Episode 123: What We Learned at EULAR 2026
AiArthritis Voices 360 Main, Full Episode 122
Air Date: July 5th 2026
This episode is a step 2, as outlined in our 6 Step Patient-Led Problem Solving Process.
Every year, the AiArthritis team returns from The European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) conference in London, England, with new research, expert interviews, and important conversations. This year, they also gathered lived experience data from the community to better understand how the topics discussed at the conference compare with what patients experience every day.
In this episode, host Leila P.L. Valete is joined by patient representative James Hollen to revisit the biggest themes from EULAR 2026, including fatigue, pain, mental health, and the impact of disease on work and daily life. They share what the community told us through lived experience surveys, reflect on James' first EULAR conference as a patient representative, and explore why patient voices are becoming an essential part of research conversations.
Whether you followed our Go With Us! coverage or are hearing about EULAR for the first time, this episode highlights how lived experiences help shape better research, more meaningful conversations, and a stronger future for patient care.
Episode Highlights:
- What lived experience surveys revealed about fatigue, pain, mental health, and quality of life
- How patient perspectives aligned with key research presented at EULAR 2026
- James' reflections from attending his first EULAR conference as a patient representative
- Why patient voices are becoming an essential part of research and healthcare innovation
- How community feedback will help shape future AiArthritis Voices 360 conversations
Take Part in Our Patient Experience Surveys:
Who is at the table?
Leila P.L. Valete (CHES), Health Education Manager and person living with lupus and Sjogren's disease
James Hollen, person living with ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis
Donate to Support the Show:
AiArthritis Voices 360 is produced by the International Foundation for Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Arthritis. Visit us on the web at www.aiarthritis.org/talkshow. Find us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook (@IFAiArthritis) or email us (podcast@aiarthritis.org). Be sure to check out our top-rated show on Feedspot!
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All our main 1st Sunday of the month episodes are either an initial "put the topic on the table" episode (Step 2 in our organization's 6-step problem solving process) or a "revisit to the table" episode (Step 6 in our organization's 6-step process), where we build on a past show because we have moved forward in developing help, tools, or projects around the issue (Step 5 in our organization's 6-step process).
After each show airs we spin off the conversation into many discussions over various formats, which we now call #360its.
Your Co-Hosts: Who is at the Table this Episode?
Leila P.L. Valete, CHES
Leila is the Health Education Manager at the International Foundation for AiArthritis. She is a
person living with Lupus and Sjögren’s disease. She is passionate about inclusion and
diversity in health education and meeting individuals where they are at in order to learn in a
way that resonates with them.
Connect with Leila:
Tiktok & Instagram: @Lupuslifestyle.lei
James Hollen
James is a person living with ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis from London, England.
Connect with James:
@jameshollens on IG & Tiktok
Pull up your seat at the table
Now it's YOUR TURN to join the conversation!
What do you think about this episode?
We want to know what you think! By continuing the conversation with your opinions and perspectives - we all get a better understanding of the problems facing our community. Better yet, through these conversations we can start working and developing solutions.
We mean it when say 360. Not only do we want your input anytime and anywhere, but we also are eager to see where the conversation will take us. So please, "pull up a seat at the table" and let's start talking!
Email us at podcast@aiarthritis.org, message us on social media (find us by searching for @IFAiArthritis)
More from EULAR 2026
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