Leave a legacy to Cancer Research UK, urges charity

‘I’m not a scientist, darling, I tell people about the scientists and ask people to support us.’

With no hesitation she replied, ‘Yes but that’s helping find cures too’.  This warms my heart twofold; she understands the importance of the work we do at Cancer Research UK and she sees us as united in our aim to beat cancer sooner.  Having a wee pal that’s survived a childhood cancer, she appreciates the fantastic progress we have made in recent decades.

I’m the Cancer Research UK legacy manager in Scotland. I support supporters who might wish to consider or have decided to leave a gift in their will to Cancer Research UK.  

This is an extraordinary way to support our work, and any gift in a will, or legacy, is a long-term investment in those discoveries and progress.  It’s a very special and personal decision to make.  

I’m on a bit of a mission to make sure that people know how important it is to have an up-to-date will.  We as a society find this conversation particularly uncomfortable. Only around one in three of us here in Scotland make a will.

I witness first-hand how difficult it can be for both an individual and a family when circumstances change and that conversation hasn’t happened.  Believe me, having the conversation with loved ones when everyone is able to have a say is definitely going to give all involved peace of mind in the future.

Some supporters say ‘I would love to leave you a gift but I haven’t got anything to leave’, but you’d be surprised.  One man using our Free Will Service was living a simple life by his craft.  

I asked what he did for a living and he said ‘I’m an artist…..I couldn’t leave you my work, could I?’  He is now leaving us two beautiful paintings.  

We have received some weird and wonderful gifts; Cliff Richard