A Gift in Memory

Many people nowadays ask to be remembered with donations to charity at their funeral instead of flowers.  For those left behind, it is a thoughtful and moving way of remembering someone they love.

The Macular Disease Society is grateful for all the in memory donations we receive from supporters of our work and from those who have received help from us. 

If you are organising the funeral of someone who wished to support the Society or wish to include a request in your will for donations instead of flowers, you may like to know that we can provide special envelopes for funeral guests to use for their donations.  These can be collected by the funeral director or a family member or sent directly back to us and enable us to claim valuable Gift Aid on donations.    

If you would like some envelopes, or advice on how to include a Gift in Memory in your will, please call Julie Edwards on 01264 321965 or email julie@maculardisease.org. 

We can send envelopes to you or directly to the Funeral Director responsible for your loved one's funeral.  Envelopes are sent with instructions for their use and a freepost envelope for their return to us. 

Thank you for thinking of us.  

Some lives remembered....

When we receive a gift in memory, we often learn a little about the person being remembered from their loved ones.  Their stories can be humorous, inspiring and moving.  With the kind permission of their families we can share with you the following stories:

Elizabeth D, Bristol: Please accept this donation in memory of my mother. She developed macular degeneration in 1999, and suffered badly from this condition in the last six years of her life. I joined your organisation in order to find out more about macular degeneration and found it most useful. I have been to one of your conferences, and follow what is happening in the field of research. I am obviously aware of developing the condition myself. My mother's eldest sister also suffers from macular degeneration, and it is more than likely that their mother had it too. It is very important to develop more public awareness of macular degeneration, and in particular, the problems its sufferers face.

Tina E, Kent: Following the recent death of my mother, instead of flowers we suggested donations to the Macular Disease Society. My mother was almost 96 when she died and had started to lose her sight in her 70s. This didn't slow her down much though. She drove around Brands Hatch in a sports car (with a co-driver), went scuba diving, parascending, hot air balloon trips and in a glider aged 90. She also wanted to do a parachute jump, but sadly no organisation would allow a 91 year old with a replacement hip!

She never complained, but in her latter years she found life a little more difficult after my father died, but with only a little help around the house, she managed her own finances, washing, ironing and cooking. She was always looking into the possibility of help for her sight and was most interested when new developments were announced; sadly her problem was too far advanced for any help to be given. I therefore have pleasure in enclosing this donation to assist in research into this debilitating disease.

Morwenna E, Kent: 'Please find enclosed a donation in lieu of funeral flowers for my mother, Margaret. Mum developed 'macular' when she was aged 82 years and appreciated the support of your Society, and we both enjoyed your conferences. She remained in her own home, independent and feisty till her death at 94. She was a former teacher of youngsters with learning difficulties and used much of her experience to develop strategies of her own to cope with macular degeneration.'

Jennifer B, Staffordshire: 'Please accept this donation in memory of my father and aunt. Our family has a particular interest in macular degeneration. My father, his sister, their father and their grandmother all suffered from the condition. With such a strong pattern of inheritance in our family, my sister, my cousin and I think that we shall be very lucky to escape macular degeneration in later life.

When my father was first diagnosed with macular degeneration I began to subscribe to the magazine Side View and over the years I have learnt a lot about the condition, the treatments available, low vision aids and research funded by the Macular Disease Society.

So when my father died we chose the Macular Disease Society as our charity and we would like you to accept this donation in memory of two good people, Mabel and Horace.'

David B, Surrey: 'Please find enclosed a donation in memory of my mother, Joan, who died on Christmas Eve aged 92. A very active lady, she suffered enormous frustration during the last five years of her life as her eyesight worsened with aged-related MD. Until this time I had no idea that this condition existed.

Recent announcements in the press during the past year or so have suggested that a breakthough is close and it is the express wish of our family that all donations in my mother's memory are made for research into finding a cure for this debilitating condition.'