Sarah Hughes, right, and her mother, Fiona, have endured 24 years of Sarah's struggle with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis, a debilitating autoimmune disease. But a new treatment has given her another chance at life. Click through our gallery to learn more about Sarah's journey.
courtesy Fiona Cunningham
Fiona's twin, Sarah Jane (left), was only 8 when she was told that she would die prematurely from juvenile arthritis, but her symptoms didn't take a turn for the worse until she was 20. Growing up, Fiona shared a bedroom with Sarah Jane and was scared to sleep at night because her twin suffered from seizures. Instead, she would stay awake and keep watch.
courtesy Fiona Cunningham
This was the last birthday together for the twins before Sarah Jane died. Also pictured are Sarah (right, with Fiona) and Sarah Jane's daughter, Allison (left).
courtesy Fiona Cunningham
Sarah was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis in 1992, when she was 11 months old. In this photo, Sarah was finally learning to walk braces.
courtesy Fiona Cunningham
Sarah's vertebrae at the base of the skull were attacked by her arthritis at an early age. At 7, she wore a neck brace for support.
courtesy Fiona Cunningham
Sarah struggled to make friends because other students teased her about her medical issues. She would come home and read stories to her pony, Georgie Porgy, because he never made her feel different or judged.
courtesy Fiona Cunningham
Sarah has spent much of her life in hospitals, receiving chemotherapy and treatments to help her condition. She credits her doctors with keeping her alive into her 20s.
courtesy Fiona Cunningham
Sarah and her friend Tucker Beau, who also has juvenile arthritis, received stem cell treatments together in hopes of curing their disease. They wear Batman shirts to support each other.
courtesy Fiona Cunningham
Eleven months after her first stem cell treatment, Sarah jumped for joy on the beach in Cancun. Her wish was to see a beautiful beach before dying; now, she visits to celebrate the success of her treatment.
courtesy Fiona Cunningham
Both Sarah and Tucker Beau have continued to improve after stem cell therapy, and they remain close friends.
courtesy Fiona Cunningham
Before her treatment, Sarah was confined to a life inside the house or a hospital room. Now, she is more active and spends as much time outside as she can. She's pictured here with Big Ben, her therapy dog.
courtesy Fiona Cunningham
Sarah celebrated her 24th birthday with a smile -- and received a stem cell treatment on the same day.
courtesy Fiona Cunningham
Sarah always wanted to swim with dolphins, but her disease made it impossible for her to even get in the water. Now, she often takes on new adventures.
courtesy Fiona Cunningham
Ever since she was little, Sarah's goal has been to ride horses as her mother would do. Even when she suffered from complications because of her disease, Sarah would sit on her horse. Now, Sarah can ride her horse, Stirling Bridge, anytime she wants.
courtesy Fiona Cunningham
This year, she was full of energy at the Arthritis Foundation Bone Bash, wearing an evening gown and mingling with guests. It's a big change from 2014, when she attended in a wheelchair, without the energy to even speak to others.
