LEAVE A LEGACY

A legacy is a very positive contribution to our efforts…

It is never too early to write a will, and including a legacy to the ME Association means that we can continue with our work, helping others, and investing in biomedical research to pursue effective treatments and a cure.

Death isn’t a subject any of us like to think about. It means that we must face up to the idea that we won’t be around forever: that one day we won’t be here anymore.

But thinking about what happens afterwards, about the legacy you want to leave, and about the difference you could still make, can be a very positive experience.

Our ongoing commitment…

We work hard to support people with M.E., but the disease remains little known and understood. 

Legacy income gives us the ability to extend our activities and improve recognition and acceptance. For example:

• It helps us provide support to those affected by the disease when they need it most. ME Connect, our telephone helpline, has been established for over ten years, and has received more then 35,000 calls. Callers can speak to a fully-trained volunteer, in confidence, about anything that might be troubling them. This disease can be very isolating, and ME Connect serves as a vital lifeline for many.
• We are able to send delegates to key conferences in the UK and on occasion, overseas, to ensure our voice is heard and people with M.E. are represented. We are better able then to pursue campaigns that more effectively inform and lobby for example, NICE, the medical profession, and, politicians.
• We make available the most extensive, and updated, library of information offered by any charity, covering medical management, benefits and social care, diet and nutrition, and much more. All of the leaflets and books we produce are written by Dr Charles Shepherd and other qualified and knowledgeable advisers on our team.
• We produce arguably the best magazine, ME Essential, which keeps our members updated about developments in our community, as well as providing exclusive interviews and understandable research reviews.

The Ramsay Research Fund

We invest only in biomedical research studies and infrastructure projects that will help lead to:

• a better understanding of underlying disease mechanisms
• the development of reliable diagnostic tests for use in clinics
• safe and effective forms of treatment

M.E. is a complex illness with symptoms that cut across several medical boundaries – genetics, endocrinology, immunology, muscle pathology, and neurology in particular – so research into the underlying cause of M.E. is rather like piecing together a complex medical jigsaw puzzle.

• We actively seek researchers who will examine these disease mechanisms. This must be our top priority if we are to obtain a better understanding of this disease and discover effective forms of treatment.
• Medical research is very expensive – and finding the underlying cause and effective treatment isn’t going to be easy. But that is not going to stop us trying.

Legacies give us greater freedom to seize opportunities as they arise – and you can be assured that all donations to the Ramsay Research Fund are spent on research – with no deductions for administration or other charity expenses.

Visit the Research section of the website for more information.

Help and Support

While it is possible to prepare a Will yourself, it is always advisable to seek legal representation. A solicitor can help you decide how you would like to leave things – to make the greatest difference. If you decide to leave a legacy to the ME Association, please get in touch with head office, by:

Email: vicky.smith@meassociation.org.uk

Telephone: 01280 818963.

Thank you.