Seven Families has revealed the seventh family to benefit from the campaign, the Knights from Newcastle.
Melanie Knights formerly worked as a midwife, but lost her job in 2014 after prolonged absence from work caused primarily by arthritis, and lives with her three children and husband, and spaniel Oscar.
She also has been diagnosed with degenerative disc disease and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a disorder of the connective tissue affecting the movement of joints.
Knights will receive £1,500 per month from Seven Families, as well as advice to help improve her home life, aid rehabilitation and if possible support a return to work.
Arthritis Research UK figures show about 8.75m people in the UK have sought treatment for osteoarthritis while musculoskeletal conditions account for 42% of reported workplace sickness.
She said: "I got up one day and the pain was so unbearable I literally couldn't move. I had scans, x-rays and various tests before they eventually diagnosed degenerative disc disease.
Knights added: "My joints move around which makes me unstable on my feet and sometimes I'm embarrassed to go out. I thought things like this only happened to older people."
Knights said: "I worked for the NHS as a midwife until 2013 but since losing my job last year I've lost my independence, my social life, my financial stability and life is unrecognisable from what it was a few years ago.
"I have inflammatory arthritis as well as osteoarthritis and its feels like I've had a million hospital appointments.
"There has been a significant impact on my family too and the support from my husband Jason and the family has been very important. He is now the main breadwinner and I need a wheelchair to walk distances and often use crutches."
"The Seven Families project will help with day to day life and the counselling and rehabilitation may prove to be just as important as the money."
Further reading:
Adviser in the Antarctic is first Seven Families ambassador
