The Sussex Stroke & Circulation Fund

SSCF newsletter - Issue 17 - April 2007

Raising awareness of peripheral arterial disease

Our local “Claudication Champion” Guy McDonnell, has been co-opted onto a campaign to raise awareness of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in the north east. PAD took centre stage at St James Park the home of premier division Newcastle United with none other than Super–Mac Malcolm MacDonald the ex England centre forward as lead speaker. He confessed that he’d not heard of PAD and learning of the serious consequences felt profoundly disturbed that people weren’t aware that pains in the legs were not necessarily just cramp or the attentions of Vinny Jones left boot.

Also speaking were Professor Stansby and Nurse Sheila Dugdill of the Freeman Hospital who described what they were doing in Newcastle with diagnostics and treatment. Their main worry was that people were not presenting early — they stoically dismissed the pain because when they stopped to look in a shop window the pain receded thus in the North it’s called Window Shoppers Disease.

They needed a patient’s point of view, to prove to the gathered media that it wasn’t inevitable that the patient dies within 5 years of diagnosis if treated. So as Guy’s had the disease since 1990, he was recruited. He gave them his personal history from young very active through to old very inactive and stop. But because of good advice and medication, decent diet, and the exercises prescribed by the Vascular Assessment Team at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Guy has lived to tell them about it on Tyne Tees TV and maybe raised awareness of PAD a little.

Thanks to supporters

Since April's newsletter we have to thank:

• The Estate of Derek Ronald Ballard
• Wednesday Charity Darts
• Margaret Lauder
• John Alexander
• George Aldridge
• Betty Davy for the funds raised selling recycled Christmas Cards
• Plus so many of you who continue to support our fund raising efforts all year

Let charities benefit from your gift of shares

ShareGift, the share donation charity (registered charity 1052686) was launched in 1996 to provide a charitable home for unwanted shares, particularly for small holdings of shares which would cost more to sell than they are worth. In the last ten years, ShareGift’s unique work has already generated well over 10 million pounds which has been given to more than 1,000 different charities. The Sussex Stroke and Circulation Fund was delighted to receive a donation of £1,000 this March.

When someone donates shares, they are transferred into the name of The Orr Mackintosh Foundation Ltd, the registered charity which operates ShareGift. The Charity exists to realise as much value as possible from unwanted shares by collecting them, selling them and using the ultimate proceeds to make donations to other UK charities.

When ShareGift distribute their funds, they include charities suggested by people who have given them shares or who help ShareGift to operate. Donors are welcome to mention any UK registered charity or an area of charitable work. This information is used to help ShareGift’s Trustees choose charities to receive donations from ShareGift.

Donating shares to ShareGift gives rise neither to a gain nor a loss for Capital Gains Tax purposes. If you are a UK taxpayer, you may also be able to claim income tax relief on the value of your donations.

We can send you a ShareGift donation coupon — for more information contact us or visit ShareGift’s website at www.sharegift.org.