The gift of life is in your hands

"Why I am leaving HEART UK a gift in my Will..." 

I’m deeply humbled by the tens of thousands of lives that have benefited from HEART UK’s support in the past 38 years.  I founded the Family Heart Association in 1983 which went on to become HEART UK in 2001.  At that time there was no support at all for families with high cholesterol and other blood fat conditions such as Familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetic condition often referred to as FH.   From my own experience, I know how important it is to have free access to expert reliable advice and support especially for those that are newly diagnosed. 

My family and myself have all been affected by FH;  we have a very strong gene on my mother’s side and both my sons have FH and my grandchildren too.  FH has had a huge impact on my life.  Nobody knew much about the condition when I was first diagnosed, the treatment was pretty grim (a gritty powder which smelt of fish and tasted of oranges 8 times a day), a very bland diet and a total ban on any sport or exercise whatsoever.  With young children it was especially hard to follow this strict lifestyle.  Thankfully, we have come such a long way since then with the development of effective  medications and the knowledge that the right diet and exercise can help to reduce cholesterol.   All the valuable work HEART UK do to influence change and educate and inform health care professionals  has contributed vastly to better diagnosis and treatments for patients like myself and my family.

For me, leaving a gift in my Will means the good that I’ve really enjoyed doing will carry on. I know that the money will be used for life change. People aren’t just helped temporarily by HEART UK, their whole lives are turned around and very often saved.  I am passionate that HEART UK should be there for my family and the next generation of children and adults affected by high cholesterol and FH and that is why I am leaving them a gift in my Will.  It doesn’t matter how small or large the gift is, it will make a huge difference to families like mine to get the help they need, when they need it.

For further information about legacy giving please email Charlotte.