Ann’s Story

"It started as a normal day at home. A walk with the dogs, a cup of tea, some messages sent to family members. It ended in hospital.

I was lucky that day – a chain of events came together that saved my life. My daughter arrived just as I went into cardiac arrest; she and the postman gave me CPR; NHS paramedics were nearby to help; and GWAAC put me on life support and got me to the right hospital quickly, where I had emergency surgery to unblock my coronary artery. I was in an induced coma for three days, but against the odds I came out the other side fighting fit. I was still here, with my children and grandchildren around me – we felt like the luckiest family in the world.

After my cardiac arrest, I realised I needed to write a will. I didn't want to die intestate - I had another chance at life, and I wanted to do it right this time. And as I'm only here because of GWAAC, I wanted to repay them in some way. I didn’t know much about how the charity worked at this point, I just knew I was so thankful they existed. But after I visited the base and learned more about what they do and how it relies on public support, I was convinced I wanted to help. I wanted to remember them in my Will.

I had to consider my children and grandchildren as they would be beneficiaries, so I discussed things with my family. They were all extremely grateful to GWAAC too, and agreed that including the charity in my Will was a perfect way to say thank you – and, perhaps, it would save another person’s life one day. We all knew that it wasn’t just my life that could have been lost the day of my cardiac arrest – their lives could have changed forever too if it hadn’t been for the care GWAAC provided. They still had their mother and their grandmother, and we all had more precious time together.

Including GWAAC in my Will wasn’t just an easy choice – it was an easy process. It is so simple to add a charitable gift to your Will, and a wonderful feeling to know that a small part of your legacy could have an impact on so many people. I hope that my simple bequest will start a ripple effect and encourage others to follow – because your gift could save a life, and nothing beats that!"