Eli McKeown, 30, set himself the goal of swimming 45,000 metres during May, representing one metre for each Kiwi man with rheumatoid arthritis.
“It’s an invisible challenge for what’s often an invisible illness,” said Eli.
Eli was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in his 20s and says for him the reality can be debilitating.
“A bad day is kind of hobbling around. You can feel your joints inflamed - hot and cold - and just feel fatigued and awful. It’s like walking through mud,” he says.
Despite this, swimming has become both a coping tool and a passion.
“I’ve always loved swimming, and it actually alleviates the pain in my joints,” he says. “It’s one of the things that helps me keep going.”
Eli swims three to four times a week at pools across Wellington, typically covering three to four kilometres per session. The idea for the challenge came after he researched how many people were living with rheumatoid arthritis in New Zealand and discovered updated figures showing 116,000 people overall - 45,000 of them men.
“I couldn’t swim 116,000 metres in a month,” he says. “But 45,000 felt achievable, and meaningful.”
Encouraged by a colleague to “swim a metre for every person,” Eli began tracking his progress on social media. While initially intended as a personal exercise, the challenge drew attention.
For Eli, the cause is deeply personal. Arthritis runs in his family: his mother has lupus and Sjögren's, and his sister was diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis as a teenager.
Growing up, he saw firsthand how the disease could affect daily life.
“When I was younger, I remember making the beds because my mum and sister couldn’t,” he says. “At the time, it just felt like a chore - but when I was diagnosed myself, it really hit home why they needed that help.”
That shared experience has also provided a support network.
“No one ‘gets’ the fatigue until you get the fatigue,” he says. “Having people in your family who understand is a big thing.”
While swimming has been beneficial, the condition still presents ongoing challenges. In recent months, McKeown has experienced increased pain and now often takes medication before getting into the pool.
Earlier this year, he had to withdraw from a swim after a severe flare-up.
“I had to put my hand up and get pulled out - it was pretty disappointing,” he says. “That’s part of why I wanted to do this challenge, to get back into it and build up again.”
Beyond awareness, Eli hopes his story contributes to a wider conversation about arthritis in New Zealand, including access to treatment and support.
He believes more attention is needed on pain management and specialist care.
“New Zealand has a really weak approach to pain management compared to overseas,” he says. “Access to rheumatology services is limited.”
Still, he managed to finish his swim challenge—carefully balancing his health, working, studying for his Masters of International Security, and training.
Ultimately, Eli hopes his effort resonates with others living with the condition.
“There’s no point just quietly dealing with it,” he says. “Sometimes it’s worth saying what you’re doing and why - so people start to notice.”
