Why leave a gift in your will to Versus Arthritis?

Arthritis affects 10 million people in the UK – it's the biggest cause of pain and it destroys people’s lives. Arthritis can steal so many of life’s fundamentals – the ability to work, to care for a family, to enjoy a relationship with a partner or even to live independently.

At Versus Arthritis, we think that just accepting the impact of arthritis isn’t acceptable. We invest in breakthrough treatments, the best information and vital support for everyone affected by arthritis. We believe that by harnessing the power of exceptional science, one day we will overcome the pain, isolation and fatigue arthritis causes.

Could your gift end arthritis?

Gifts in wills are our largest source of income and we could not continue our vital work without the generosity of supporters who choose to remember us in this special way.

We won’t stop until people can live pain free. A gift in your will could help us defy arthritis and transform the lives of future generations. If you are considering a gift in your will to Versus Arthritis, we would like to say thank you.

Stories from our supporters

Mrs Middleton and Pam understand all too well the devastating impact the pain of arthritis can have on someone’s life. They also realise that every gift, big or small, really helps.

That’s why they're using their wills to support our work. Read Mrs Middleton's and Pam's stories to find out more about why they're supporting us.

Pam has fought arthritis for decades to lead a full life

Pam Hibbs, 82, has battled inflammatory osteoarthritis since her late 20s but still leads a fulfilled, happy life. She’s needed medication and at least 12 major operations to stay healthy and active.

The osteoarthritis Pam has managed for so long runs in her family, affecting her cousin too. "Though I’ve had severe arthritis, my cousin’s inflammatory osteoarthritis was worse than mine,” says Pam. “So I wanted to change things. I know personally how debilitating it can be and I want to help others."

It’s not always been easy. After one operation, Pam couldn’t make it down the stairs and was marooned in her flat for weeks on end. However, she believes in always having something to look forward to. When she’s having a bad time and can’t leave the house, she promises herself a reward when she next can venture out, like some retail therapy and a bite to eat. She’s also in regular contact with family in Australia, staying in touch via Skype chats, and loves getting the latest videos of her grandsons.

Pam’s passionate about helping others with arthritis, whether that’s by increasing the public’s knowledge of arthritis or providing inspiration and support to fellow sufferers. She’s a former nurse and received a CBE for her enthusiastic work at Hackney Hospital.

Pam decided to include a gift to Versus Arthritis in her will to help fund pioneering research. "I feel I’m doing something to help for the future.

"I want, someday, for everyone with arthritis to be able to live free from pain and to make the most of their lives,” she says. "And I’m sure I’m not the only one who has this hope."

"I want to support research into this crippling disease"

Mrs Middleton’s gift for the future

Arthritis has shaped Mrs Myrtle Middleton’s life since she was a child. She watched her mother endure a lifetime of suffering, while caring for her, and then went on to develop the disease herself. A former branch member and long-standing supporter of Versus Arthritis, she’s leaving a gift in her will to help try to find a cure.

"When I was quite small, my mother developed rheumatoid arthritis and then, when I was 15, my father asked me to leave school to help my mother with the household. Leaving school early impacted my whole life."

Mrs Middleton developed her first symptoms in the late 1950s. “I realised something wasn’t quite right. I developed both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, although predominantly the latter. In 1978 I had my first hip replacement, followed by a second in 1981. Both have been brilliant, and I can still drive short distances.

"However, I now have a degenerating spine, complete degeneration disc disease, and more than three levels of spinal canal stenosis. I wear a surgical corset, but now the disease has spread to my neck. I go to tai chi once a week and have also been having physiotherapy.

"I included a gift in my will to find not just better treatments, but a cure. Arthritis, in its many forms, is a dreadful condition that affects everyone, old and young."

Get in touch

For more information, you may want to look at our FAQs page or if you have any questions you would like to discuss, Gill and Anna in our Gifts in Wills and In Memory team are here to help. Get in touch:

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