FIND A CAUSE // HEALTH

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) is a long-term (chronic), fluctuating, neurological condition that causes symptoms affecting many body systems, more commonly the nervous and immune systems. M.E. affects an estimated 250,000 people in the UK, and around 17 million people worldwide.

People with M.E. experience debilitating pain, fatigue and a range of other symptoms associated with post-exertional malaise, the body and brain's inability to recover after expending even small amounts of energy.

Action for M.E. takes action to end the ignorance, injustice and neglect faced by people with M.E. We do this by meeting need now to improve the lives of people with M.E. through information, support and advocacy, while taking action to secure change for the future by investing in biomedical research. Read more about this in our 2022-2027 strategy, Shaping our Future Together.

For more information about supporting Action for M.E. through the Unity Lottery, contact the fundraising team by email at [email protected] or phone on 0117 927 9551.

Visit the Action for M.E. website

The Association for Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Disorders (AMEND) is a UK-registered charity (no.1153890) providing free information resources and support services to anyone affected by multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) and associated endocrine conditions. AMEND provides patient support via phone, email, social media groups, and our own professional counselling helpline and Mindfulness resources. We produce patient information resources for adults and children with strong medical advisory team assistance. AMEND awards Research Grants, an Annual Young Investigator Award, and funds conference places for endocrine nurses. Our Annual Patient Information Day and other events are popular with patients who benefit from meeting others with these rare disorders. AMEND also distributes its MEN Passport free to patients to help them to keep track of their ‘MEN journey'. Membership and resources are all free and available to everyone everywhere via the charity's HONcode certified website at www.amend.org.uk.

Animal Free Research UK has a 50-year history of uniting animal-loving communities and scientists to drive research forward without animal suffering.
We’ve given over £10M in grants to projects advancing development of human relevant research for diseases including cancer, diabetes and Covid-19.
Our ambition to end the suffering of animals is heartfelt and unswerving, and by pioneering excellence, inspiring and supporting scientists, and influencing change, we can create a world where human diseases are cured faster without animal suffering.
Latest Home Office statistics confirm that there were over 3 million experiments on animals in British laboratories in 2021 alone. A shameful reliance on outdated animal research, despite there being fundamental differences between humans and animals.
Animal experiments are not, and can never be, a reliable way to research human disease.
By joining Unity Lottery for Animal Free Research UK you will help fund pioneering projects that will show that animal free research is the solution to curing human diseases – and finally end animal suffering in laboratories.

We support sufferers of arthritis by giving aid and educational assistance. We’ll continue to campaign relentlessly for arthritis to be seen as a priority, and support each other. We are also keen to educate people who have limited knowledge of arthritis by raising its public profile, with your help, through supporting and creating campaigns. Many people are affected by arthritis, some to a very small extent, however it is always painful and can be debilitating. We encourage sufferers, carers, friends, parents and the general public to support our arthritis cause with the aim of making a positive impact in people’s lives. Get involved today

Aspire is a national charity that provides practical help to people who have been paralysed by Spinal Cord Injury. A spinal cord injury can happen to anyone at any time, and no one is prepared for how it will change their life. Aspire exists because there is currently no cure.

People with Spinal Cord Injury will lose muscle and sensory control and a large majority will become full time wheelchair users for the rest of their lives. Historically, the majority of spinal injuries have been sustained by those aged 21 to 30, with nearly three quarters of new spinal cord injury patients being male. However, Spinal Cord Injury is increasingly affecting older people now too. Approximately 2,500 people sustain a spinal cord injury in the UK each year.

Through its projects and programmes, Aspire offers practical support to the 50,000 people living with a spinal cord injury in the UK, from newly injured spinal cord injury patients in hospital and throughout their lives. This support allows people with spinal injury to lead fulfilled and independent lives in their homes, with their families, in their workplace and in leisure time.

To find out more, please visit www.aspire.org.uk

Birmingham Community Healthcare Charity supports patients, service users and colleagues by providing the ‘extras’ such as items, projects, activities, research and training courses that are not covered by the core NHS funds.

These extras are the sorts of things that bring a smile to our patients of all ages and their families and carers, and can range from smaller things like books, toys and toiletries all the way up to huge projects like our therapeutic playground for children with prosthetic limbs.

We’ve renovated garden areas, funded beautiful murals, thrown festive parties, provided sensory lighting spaces, entertained patients with music, magic and days out, and loads more!

Thank you for helping us in our mission to enhance patient care across the city and make a difference for services throughout BCHC.

Our vision is a world where everyone with a neurological condition lives better, longer.

There is an estimated 11 million people in the UK living with a neurological condition. These conditions are wide-ranging and and include sudden onset conditions such as stroke or traumatic brain injury, progressive, degenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and intermittent conditions such as epilepsy and headache disorders. 

When the brain changes, we change. When it is struck by a brain tumour, an injury or disease, the consequences can be devastating. Neurological conditions cause 140,000 deaths a year in the UK and they are the leading cause of disability worldwide. 

Brain Research UK, the UK's leading dedicated funder of neurological research, funds research to advance the understanding of the changes that take place in the brain and how these can be overcome. We fund the best science to achieve the greatest impact for people effected by neurological conditions, to help them live life better, longer. 

Thank you so much. Your support will help to ensure continued funding of life changing, life saving research.

The British Liver Trust supports patients and families affected by all types of liver disease and liver cancer, which can affect people at any age, right from childhood through to parents and grandparents. 75% of people with liver disease or liver cancer are diagnosed in hospital when liver disease is advanced, so we campaign to help people get diagnosed early to help save lives.

Our helpline and online community support thousands of people and our patient guides and booklets are used by thousands more, as well as being given out in hospitals.

Your support will help us be here for everyone with liver disease or liver cancer.

By joining the Unity Lottery you will not only help fund our work, but for just £1.00 a week you'll be in with a chance of winning up to £25,000.

It couldn't be easier to enter and help us fight liver disease.

Thank you and good luck!

Thyroid disorders affect 1 in 20 people in the UK. It is mostly women who are diagnosed but men, children and even babies can suffer too. The most common form of the disease is hypothyroidism (underactive) but we also support people with hyperthyroidism (overactive), thyroid eye disease and thyroid cancer. Thyroid disorders often run in families.

The BTF raises awareness about thyroid disorders and the physical and emotional impact they can have on people's lives. We provide reliable, free information on all aspects of thyroid disease. Through our comprehensive support network – a regular newsletter, telephone helplines, local groups and information events - we enable people to help themselves and others and thereby to avoid the distress and isolation they may otherwise experience.

Through our collaboration with medical experts we ensure that patients are given up to date information and by listening to people's experiences we can feed back their concerns to the medical community. Since 1997 we have given over £220,000 to research projects that look into a wide range of aspects of thyroid disease. Each year we also support nurses who specialise in this area.

Support the BTF and help us continue to make a difference!

England and Wales No 1006391 Scotland SCO46037

Brook wants a society where all young people are free to be themselves.

The reality is that societal stigma limits young people’s ability to take control of their sexual health, enjoy healthy relationships and explore their identities.

Brook was founded to empower women to take charge of their sexual health at a time when it was controversial for those who were not married. Today, we continue that legacy by fighting for young people’s right to access inclusive education and services.

Drawing on 55 years’ experience, we deliver a unique blend of clinical services, counselling, and education and training programmes, all enriched by a digital information hub.

We create safe, open, positive spaces that give young people a platform to speak freely, build their confidence and empower their choices. Additionally, we provide practical and trusted expertise, based on what young people tell us they want and need.

With your support we can continue to fight tirelessly every day to change attitudes, challenge prejudices
and champion equality so that all young people can lead happy, healthy lives.

Carr Gomm is a leading Scottish social care and community development charity. We currently support around 2,000 people across Scotland to live their lives safely and well according to their choices, whilst making plans to achieve their hopes and dreams for tomorrow.

Our support is person-centred and strongly reflects our values of choice, control, respect, interdependence, and openness and honesty.

Every penny we receive contributes to making our society better: reducing loneliness and isolation; improving health and wellbeing; and providing opportunities for people to flourish.

Our community development projects and activities focus on reducing loneliness and isolation in some of Scotland's most deprived communities. They are designed to bring people together to build friendships, skills and confidence.

An example of our work includes community growing projects, which uses gardening and growing opportunities as the vehicle to engage people with their community.

We support local adults, who are experiencing anxiety and depression to build skills, relationships and improve their health.

We also work with local schools to provide innovative outdoor activities for children and young people who struggle in the formal school environment.

For more information on our community development projects and the wider work we do, visit www.cargomm.org

Across two Midlands-based sites, Castel Froma and the Helen Ley Care Centre, we provide rehabilitation and nursing care for people disabled by brain injury or neurological conditions like multiple sclerosis.

Through day, respite or residential care we offer intensive physiotherapy, occupational therapy and other similar interventions to help individuals improve their quality of life. For some, this might mean learning to walk again, for others changes might be smaller - sitting more comfortably in their wheelchair, improving dexterity or learning to smile again.

We need to raise £300,000 every year from donations to cover the costs of all our therapeutic work, to purchase specialist medical equipment and to fund activities, trips and social events for our guests and residents.

Playing Unity Lottery for just £1 a week will make a valuable contribution towards our fundraising target AND gives you the chance to win £25,000 every seven days!! Sign up now for your chance to strike it lucky and help people living with disabilities after head injury.

Colostomy UK is a national charity that offers support and advice to people with a stoma, their families, carers and friends.

Our services are free and include:

• A 24-hour free helpline: 0800 328 4257.
• Information literature on all aspects of living with a colostomy.
• Tidings, a quarterly support magazine.
• A closed Facebook Support Group
• An informative website
• Over 100 volunteers (all ostomates) who take helpline calls, attend open days, give talks and visit ostomates in hospital

We also run projects to empower ostomates to return to sports, hobbies and other interests and give them the confidence to take up fresh challenges. We are advocates for ostomates' rights and their voice on the bigger issues. Our campaigns raise awareness and encourage organisations to make their facilities more inclusive. Supporting and enhancing ostomates' wellbeing is at the core of everything we do.

Our mission is to work with all those affected by these conditions to achieve a better quality of life, improve services, and ultimately find a cure.

We want to see a world in which people’s lives are not limited by Crohn’s and Colitis. Our weekly lottery gives you the chance of winning a £25,000 jackpot, and at the same time helps improve lives today and build a world free from Crohn's and Colitis tomorrow.

Most people don't understand what cystic fibrosis is, or what it does, until someone close to them is affected by it. They soon discover it's a life-shortening genetic condition – only half of those living with the condition celebrate their fortieth birthday.

We are the only UK-wide charity dedicated to making a daily difference to the lives of people with cystic fibrosis, and those who care for them. Ultimately, we're fighting to find a way to beat it for good, so that everyone with cystic fibrosis can live a life unlimited by the condition.

We are researching and developing new treatments, working with families to ensure they get the right support, and shouting loud to ensure everyone benefits from better care.

Fighting cystic fibrosis is a battle we must win – please join us by playing the lottery today.

DEBRA is the national charity that supports individuals and families affected by Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) – a genetic condition which causes the skin to blister and shear at the slightest friction, or even spontaneously. There are at least 5,000 people living with this devastating condition in the UK and 500,000 people worldwide.

EB has a number of distinct forms; in the least severe form, blistering is confined to the hands and feet. In more severe cases, the whole body is affected and wounds heal very slowly, giving rise to scarring, physical deformity and significant disability. Blistering can also affect inner body linings, such as the mouth and throat and, in its most advanced form, EB is fatal in infancy.

DEBRA focuses its work in three areas:

• We fund pioneering research to find effective treatments and ultimately, a cure for EB.

• We fund, in partnership with the NHS, an enhanced specialist EB Nursing Service to deliver optimal healthcare to children and adults living with EB.

• We provide social care support to help people live with dignity. This is a service parents and people with EB can call on, to reach out for advice, advocacy in the face of red tape and emergency grants. We provide access to specially adapted holiday homes and opportunities for social interaction..

We interconnect each of these areas to ensure a holistic approach to our care, from birth, for as long as it is needed.

Without your support people with EB would not benefit from these services.

Charity Registration Number 1084958

With more and more people being diagnosed with type 1 and type 2 diabetes in the UK, our challenge is greater than ever before.

At DRWF, we focus on helping people to understand the different types of diabetes, raising awareness of risk and preventative actions.

We provide accredited information and award-winning educational events to enable people to access the tools they need to manage diabetes effectively, on a daily basis, and in a supported environment.

The research we fund, in the UK and around the world, helps to improve our understanding of diabetes and its different types, provide new treatment and management strategies and ultimately, we hope, find a cure. We exist on voluntary income, so we can only achieve all of this because of the kind donations received from our committed supporters.

Please help us to be there to ensure that people are 'staying well until a cure is found...'

By joining the DRWF lottery, not only will you have the chance to win a WEEKLY PRIZE, you will be helping us to support the millions in the UK who are affected by diabetes.

DKMS launched in the UK in 2013. We are the biggest stem cell register in the UK. We have registered over 1 million blood stem cell donors to date and helped to give over 2,100 people a second chance at life.

Giving through Unity Lottery is one of the best ways you can ensure ongoing support for people diagnosed with blood cancer and blood disorders. Each year more than 39,000 people in the UK are diagnosed. New patients need our help each week - help us give them a second chance at life.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common and severe form of neuromuscular condition. Genetic in origin, it causes progressive muscle weakness with loss of the ability to walk in the early teens, and significantly reduces life-expectancy. There is no cure. Since 1987 the Duchenne Family Support Group, a UK national charity, run by families, for families, has been providing invaluable support to those in the UK affected by DMD.

We want to help all affected families to have the best quality of life, with rewarding experiences, supportive friendships and sound advice whenever they need it. Our national support network for parents, families, and professionals, through our free telephone helpline, and responses to social media, enables families to talk in
confidence to others facing similar issues. We also connect local families to form networks for mutual support.

Days out bring families together so they can feel part of a community, as well as being able to share stories and discuss tips and ideas. Our Mums' Weekends give mothers a chance to meet, rest, and share. Arranging, and subsidising when possible, holidays for families in the UK and abroad, we find accessible accommodation to enable several families to stay together as a group, get to know each other, relax, establish friendships and have fun!

To find out more or to become a member, please visit our website.

Dystonia UK is the only UK national charity dedicated to helping an estimated 100,000 people living with dystonia. In addition to our UK support groups, consultancy and social media forums, Dystonia UK also runs national awareness campaigns, conferences and sends out our Dystonia Matters magazine.

We exist to give hope and support to those living with dystonia, creating UK and worldwide awareness. Dystonia UK is children and adults with dystonia, carers and clinicians, fundraisers and families, medical professionals and our amazing members and supporters, all working side by side.

Playing Unity Lottery for just £1 a week will make a valuable contribution towards our fundraising target AND give you a chance to win £25,000 every seven days! Sign up now for your chance to strike it lucky and help Dystonia UK to continue to provide help and support to people living with dystonia.

We can continue our much needed work in raising awareness of encephalitis and supporting the global encephalitis community. Your continued support is truly invaluable.

We are the only resource of our kind in the world, raising awareness, driving research and providing support. We receive no government funding so the support we receive from our fundraisers means a great deal to the Society.

Together, we will achieve a world without death and disability from encephalitis and the support of people like you towards this is deeply appreciated by all the Encephalitis International team and those who reach out to us for support.

EOS Network is the only UK charity supporting people affected by Eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases. Founded as an online family support group in 2005 today we collaborate with over 200 global medical professionals and researchers to improve the lives of those affected by these chronic life impacting diseases.

We are a small volunteer team, we receive NO government funding and rely entirely on donations and grants to fund our work.

Our vision
Is of a world where everyone with an Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease can eat without pain.

Our mission
Is to ensure that every person with an Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease receives a prompt accurate diagnosis, the right treatment for them, and support to live with their condition.

What we do

• We provide information and support for people with Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Diseases their families and carers, through our community hub, resources and events.
• We provide a global platform for clinicians and researchers to connect and share the latest research and best evidence-based practice.
• We provide educational resources and events for healthcare professionals to help them recognise symptoms, diagnose and treat Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Diseases.
• We work with patients and their carers, medical bodies, manufacturers and funders to ensure the patient’s voice is heard for decisions about treatment guidelines, the development and availability of medicines.

“Both published evidence and our community data shows it currently takes an adult an average of over 8 years living with eating difficulties before getting a diagnosis of Eosinophilic Oesophagitis, your support will help us change this.”
Amanda Chair and Founder of EOS Network

Join the lottery today every £1 entry donates 50p to our cause and gives you a chance to win the weekly £25,000 jackpot too!

For more information about Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Diseases and our work please visit us at www.eosnetwork.org or email [email protected]

Epilepsy Action is the UK's biggest epilepsy charity. Together with you and all our supporters, we're aiming for a brighter future for everyone affected by epilepsy.

Every year our free telephone helpline, website and events help over one million people understand their epilepsy and treatment options. These vital services rely on your generosity.

Together we can make sure no one has to face epilepsy alone by providing a national network of branches, volunteers and 'Coffee & chat' groups.

By playing Unity Lottery for Epilepsy Action, you're helping create a world where people with epilepsy can benefit from improved healthcare, new research and national campaigns for change. Your support means more people can realistically hope for freedom from seizures.

Thank you for considering playing Unity Lottery for Epilepsy Action - together, we really are stronger.

The Epilepsy Research Institute’s mission is to radically advance research for the 1 in 100 people living with epilepsy. We aim to increase our understanding of the causes and mechanisms of epilepsy and its associated conditions, whilst accelerating research innovations in prevention and treatment. As well as funding research, we are driving multi-disciplinary collaborations and strategic investment to create a strong, vibrant and well-funded ecosystem where research can flourish.

Thank you so much for choosing to play the Unity Lottery for the Epilepsy Research Institute UK. Together, we will radically advance research into epilepsy.

Guillain-Barre & Associated Inflammatory Neuropathies (GAIN) is helping to support patients suffering from GBS, CIDP and associated inflammatory neuropathies, and their families at a time when they are at their most vulnerable.
We can help wtih:

• a 24 hour helpline
• a series of information booklets
• home and hospital visits
• literature for health and social care professionals
• regional branches
• funding for research

By supporting our lottery you will be making a big difference:

£5 will cover 'helpline' costs for a day

£20 will help towards sending information packs to hospitals and surgeries

"Many thanks for your prompt return of resource material to our Critical Care Unit. It has been refreshing to acquire such colourful and relevant information for our client group and staff. I'm sure future patients will gain some reassurance from the fact that there is support outside of the CCU environment." Garrett Anderson Centre (CCU), Ispwich

Help - Advice - Support - Action - Guidance

Thank you for visiting the HASAG Unity lottery page.

Asbestos related diseases continue to affect thousands of people in Britain every year.

We are a charity dedicated to helping people anf their families suffering from these illnesses. We cover a wide area across the South of England. 

We provide a range of services for our patients:

• Home visits
• Help and advice on benefits and compensation
• Information
• Monthly support group coffee mornings (6 per month in various locations)
• Counselling

We also fund 3 Meso UK nurses in our region.

We raise money for various research projects that desperately need funding. We have donated over £900,000 but more is needed for more progress to be made.

It is important to raise awareness of the dangers of asbestos. We continue to campaign vigorously so that mistakes of the past do not repeat themselves. 

By supporting the HASAG Unity lottery you will enable us to continue the vital work we do supporting people who continue to be diagnosed with these terrible asbestos-related conditions.

WILL YOU JOIN OUR MISSION?

Did you know that almost one in two adults have high cholesterol and are at risk from heart attacks, strokes, and vascular dementia?

You may be surprised to hear that high cholesterol is one of the leading causes of premature death in the UK. Yet, many of these deaths are preventable.

Most people don’t even know they have high cholesterol until they have a test. That’s why it’s often referred to as ‘the silent killer’.

The good news is that by choosing HEART UK, you’ll be joining our mission to put a STOP to premature and preventable death caused by high cholesterol.

By playing our lottery you’ll be saving lives and here’s how:

• HEART UK depends on lottery players to educate doctors and nurses to identify people with high cholesterol and offer the best possible treatment.
• It is people like you, who fund the Cholesterol Helpline which gives a lifeline to people needing in-depth medical advice.
• By playing the lottery, you’ll ensure cholesterol remains a top priority with decision makers and the NHS.
• But it’s not just adult lives you’ll be saving… it’s children’s lives too.

HEART UK is the only charity dedicated to a life-threatening, family condition called familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH). It’s a genetic condition which can cause extremely high cholesterol levels, even in babies.

Around one in 250 people inherit FH. Presently, most of these people will not know they have the condition until it is too late.

By playing our lottery, you’ll be bolstering our fight to ensure ‘hereditary cholesterol condition screening’ is available for EVERY baby so that life-saving treatment can be given.

You’ll be keeping families together for longer.

With no government funding, precious lives can only be saved by people like you and me.

Today, HEART UK is a reasonably small charity. But our mission is HUGE. Our dedicated team are working tirelessly to make change and save precious lives. But we really need your help to do that.

By standing with HEART UK today, you’ll be saving lives right now and providing a better future for our children and grandchildren.

To find out more about our work, please visit heartuk.org.uk. Here you can sign up for your free copy of ‘Cholesterol News’, read by over 100,000 people every month!

For now, we’d like to send you a MASSIVE THANK YOU. We can’t wait to welcome you to the team!

Good to know…

If you are over 40, it is likely that your GP or local authority will be able to offer you a FREE health check, including a cholesterol test. Most people are eligible to have test every five years. Search ‘NHS health check’ for more information. It could save your life!

Hetty's Charity - Founded in 1996 by a group of Mums who were all experiencing the pain and heartbreak of a loved one’s addiction, this courageous group of ladies decided to offer each other support when they realised there was nowhere else to access help. This group gradually grew in numbers, and with a lot of hard work, grant funding, and dedicated volunteers, the service grew from a single peer support group, to having a crisis support line, to having a paid member of staff, and now into the service it is today, a registered charity supporting over 200 families per month throughout the districts of Nottinghamshire; Mansfield, Ashfield, Bassetlaw, Newark & Sherwood, and County South.

The Hetty’s service offers a variety of support methods, and structured psychosocial interventions, delivered by our experienced family recovery workers and volunteers, to ensure that every client has the best chance of recovering from the effects of their loved one’s addiction and returning to their everyday life. Each intervention provides the tools needed for families to reduce isolation, increase confidence, set appropriate boundaries, become more knowledgeable about the cycle of addiction, and work through any feelings of guilt, shame and anger.

Hi Kent is committed to supporting people who are D/deaf, deafened or hard of hearing, across Kent.

Our services are vital to so many people and we are passionate about what we do. We provide a range of services including:

• Assessment of Need service on behalf of KCC
• Free hearing aid aftercare clinics
• Provision of assistive equipment
• Free lipreading classes
• Free tinnitus support groups
• British Sign Language courses
• Deaf awareness courses
• Counselling service
• Group therapy sessions
• Social Groups
• Walking groups
• Technology Support
• Wellbeing ‘Gateway’ service
• Befriending service

We have volunteers who help us with some aspects of our services, and we couldn’t do it without them.

To support these services, we also do a lot of fundraising. This is just one example of what we do to ensure we can carry on providing these vital services.

Huntington’s disease is a degenerative, neurological condition affecting around 8000 people across the country. The Huntington’s Disease Association is the largest dedicated Huntington’s disease charity offering support, advice and information to anyone affected by Huntington’s disease.
We aim to enable everyone affected by Huntington's disease to live life to their full potential by:

• Improving care and support
• Educating their families and the professionals who work with them
• Championing the needs of the Huntington's community and influencing decision makers

You can help us support the thousands of people and families who need our support by taking part in the lottery – you can make a difference to their lives. You also have a great chance of winning up to £25,000 each week!

The Ichthysis Support Group (ISG) is a small user-led registered charity, currently run predominantly by volunteers from affected families. The ISG provides support to adults, children and their families throughout the UK who are affected by Ichthyosis, as well as raising awareness amongst health professionals and the wider community.

Ichthyosis is a rare and life-long skin condition of which there are many types. It can affect as few as 1:300,000 people in the UK and the impact on their quality of life can be extreme and debilitating. Failure to thrive in earlier years and recurring infection can be an on-going problem for suffers and can be life threatening. Psychologically, this condition can have a hugely negative impact on a person's quality of life. Poor self esteem, lacking in confidence and clinical depression are common amongst those affected.

The ISG provides support by holding annual events such as national educational conferences and family days. The ISG provides information to members and health professionals through extensive literature, a monthly e bulletin and a newsletter distributed 3 times a year. The ISG also has the support of a Medical Advisory Board (MAB) to assist with any medical issues and information into current research. The national telephone line is there to assist anyone needing support or information relating to Ichthyosis.

The ISG is aware of the need to create a better understanding within the medical profession and lobby for greater research into this distressing condition. The ISG is committed to giving an annual grant for research into Ichthyosis.

We are JDRF, the leading type1 diabetes charity.

We fund world-class research to cure, treat and prevent type 1 diabetes. We support the type 1 community and we push for broader NHS provision of treatments and technologies.

Our reach expands around the globe - we are collaborating with the best minds in the field to positively impact more people than ever before through our innovative medical research.

We rely on your support to continue delivering this life changing work.

Play the JDRF lottery today to help fund research into a cure.

The Limbless Association (LA) is a registered charity that has been supporting amputees for nearly 35 years. We aim to support amputees, pre-and post-amputation, to navigate the associated complexities with advice, information and signposting to empower individuals and their families to optimise their recovery and rehabilitation.

Dealing with the practical and emotional impact of limb loss is a complex and very personal unpredictable journey. Here at the LA we support an early intervention approach with a range of services and resources that we've developed based on our experiences. As a user-led charity we know that where the right support is available, recovery outcomes are greatly improved.

Our key areas of focus are advising, supporting, informing and connecting.

The LA operates a Help Desk, a Welfare Rights Advice Service, a peer support scheme – our Volunteer Visitors – and importantly offers amputees access to legal advice from a consortium of top law firms, where a claim for personal injury or clinical negligence may be pursued. Amputees can connect and stay informed via our quarterly magazine, newsletter, website and by becoming an LA member.

By supporting the LA you are ensuring our support continues so that #NoAmputeeNeedCopeAlone

Lincolnshire IA is affiliated to the national IA The Ileostomy and Internal Pouch Association which is a mutual support group which has the primary aim of helping people who have had or are about to have their colon removed.

It was started in 1956 by a group of people who had ileostomies themselves, together with some members of the medical profession. It was the first ostomy association in the United Kingdom and it is a national charity (1172338)

What are IA’s Aims?
1) to help anyone who has had, or is about to have, their colon removed to return to a fully active and normal life as soon as possible.
2) to help them with all aspects of their rehabilitation including social activities, and relationships with their families, friends, employers, colleagues and members of the general public.
3) to work in close co-operation with the medical authorities as part of a team whose primary aim is the complete rehabilitation of every ileostomy or pouch patient.
4) to promote and co-ordinate research – not only into ways of improving the quality of life with an ileostomy or pouch, but also into the illnesses which lead to these operations.
5) to improve knowledge about the management of ileostomies or pouches and encourage development of new ostomy equipment and skin-care preparation.

LUPUS UK is the only national registered charity for people affected by the autoimmune disease lupus. Our key objectives are:

• To raise awareness of lupus amongst patients, health professionals and the general public.
• For all people with lupus in the UK to have a timely diagnosis and equitable access to high quality treatment.
• To empower people living with lupus
• To support families and carers impacted by a diagnosis of lupus
• To influence policy, ensuring that the voices of people affected by lupus are heard
• For LUPUS UK to represent the whole lupus community

We provide high-quality information and education, peer-led support, grants for lupus research, and funding for Specialist Lupus Nurses in NHS Hospitals.

“I learned almost everything I know about lupus from LUPUS UK and that knowledge gave me the confidence to get control back in my life and do almost everything I used to be able too do including running. It also helped my husband, family and employer to know what lupus is and how we can make like work together”

To find out more go to www.lupusuk.org.uk or call 01708 731251

Mast Cell Action is determined to offer support to the mast cell disease community, their families, doctors and researchers. To raise awareness of disorders resulting from mast cell activation, increase vital research in this area and strive for better diagnostics and treatment.

We are a small but very enthusiastic team dedicated to improving lives for everyone affected by MCAS.

MCAS can limit many things in life, but your love gives us all vital hope for a brighter tomorrow. But we need your help - we really can't do it without you!

Together we can make a real difference to the MCAS community – not just today, but tomorrow and the day after. Your continued kindness provides real hope for anyone facing an MCAS diagnosis.

Thank you for being there for our community.

Metabolic Support UK is the leading patient organisation for all Inherited Metabolic Disorders, supporting patients and families affected by these devastating rare conditions in the UK and worldwide.

The MPS Society is the only registered charity providing professional support to individuals and families affected by MPS, Fabry and related lysosomal conditions in the UK. We receive no government funding and so activities like our weekly lucky lottery will go towards funding our patient services team, our telephone helpline and enable us to be there for those who need us the most.

In the UK, there are approximately 68,000 people living with Established Renal Failure, a life threatening illness, and the patient must rely on dialysis or a transplant to keep them alive. Approximately 7000 patients are awaiting a kidney transplant. In contrast, only approximately 1900 kidney transplants are carried out each year. Many dialysis patients spend between 3 and 5 hours, 2 to 3 times a week connected to a dialysis machine in a hospital renal unity, making everyday life extremely difficult and often limited. Kidney failure also introduces additional health issues (which continue even after transplantation), such as narrowing of blood vessels which substantially increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes; bone disease; anaemia, increased risk of certain cancers, to name but a few.

Unfortunately dialysis is not a long term solution and a transplant is not a cure, throughout this journey renal patients face many problems and issues.

The National Kidney Federation, a charity which is run by kidney patients, cares for kidney patients by providing support, advice and practical help, and our patient support services and our work to improve medical treatment and provision make a real difference to thousands of lives in your community and across the UK.

A winning opportunity to support those living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Play for a chance to win up to £25,000.

Being newly diagnosed with RA or JIA can be very difficult. Living with RA and JIA can also require a lot of support.

NRAS are here to support everyone with RA and JIA at every stage of their lives.

Through our helpline service we help many people living with RA and JIA, as well as their families and carers, by providing emotional support and information, empowering all to take control of their RA or JIA.

Wendy and Henry

'I called the NRAS Helpline out of desperation, on behalf of my son Henry. My son is 34, with a young family, and is a self- employed roofer and lead-worker.'

'The pain in both his feet was so bad he was unable to go to work. In desperation, I turned to the NRAS website and called the Helpline. I was met with warmth, understanding and kindness, and they were able to offer Henry and I the help and advice we needed.'

The Neuro Therapy Centre based in Saltney, near Chester provides practical support and therapies to help manage the symptoms of a wide range of neurological conditions including MS, Parkinson's, MND and ME and supports people across North Wales, Cheshire and the Wirral.

Neurological conditions are caused by damage to the brain, spinal column or nerves, either from illness or injury. They can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, or ethnicity, and their impact is devastating. Family, relationships, work, physical and mental health: every aspect of a person's life can be disrupted.

Although neurological conditions are incurable, a huge amount can be done to manage symptoms and maintain quality of life. Something as simple as regular physiotherapy can make a huge difference, helping people stay mobile and independent.

The healthcare professionals at the Centre tailor fitness, exercise and physiotherapy programmes to help people whether they have been recently diagnosed or living with a neurological condition for some time.

NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation is the 'Official' Registered Scottish Charity (SCO 11042) of NHS Tayside.

Your donation will support local NHS hospitals and services in NHS Tayside by:

Buying extra items for patients which will make their visit or stay more comfortable.
Supporting major projects, such as a new unit, an extension or a facility upgrade.
Introducing new pioneering ways of delivering care.
Supporting new medical research.
Supporting Volunteer Services.
Supporting extra educational and training opportunities for staff.
Providing additional support to patients in the community.

Donations to the fund make a big difference to patients and their families across Tayside and that is why we are grateful for every single penny which we receive, and we know our patients and their families are too...

Thank you for choosing NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation as your charity to support.

Parkinson's is a progressive neurological condition. This means that it causes problems in the brain and gets worse over time. Around 145,000 people in the UK live with Parkinson's and we don't yet know exactly why people get it.

What we do know is that symptoms start to appear when the brain can't make enough dopamine to control movement properly. There are over 40 symptoms of Parkinson's but the 3 main symptoms of Parkinson's are a tremor (shaking), slowness of movement and rigidity (muscle stiffness).

Parkinson's UK is a charity that’s there for everyone affected by Parkinson’s. Since 1969, our scientists have worked tirelessly to understand the condition, to find better treatments and search for a cure. In addition to this, we offer support services to enable people living with Parkinson's to live their lives to their fullest potential. Find out more by visiting our website.

Playing the Unity Lottery will help fund the ongoing work of Parkinson's UK. Together we'll find a cure.

Read more about how Parkinson's UK use your personal information in the full Privacy Policy

We provide Peer Support Services, we train kidney patients and/or their carers to give advice and support to their peers who are new to kidney failure or are looking for further advice and support as they establish changes in their lives or require further emotional support accessed from our Counselling Service. At present this service is run from Swansea, working with People and Places, the Health Boards and Welsh Renal Networks, we are about to commence the service in Cardiff to support patients in South West & East Wales and our aim is for this service to be offered to all patients in Wales.

Our Peer Support Services will provide kidney patients with a hub of information, advice and support through:

• Peer Mentoring
• Counselling Service
• On-line Forum
• Telephone Care Line
• An all encompassing signposting service through partnership with local community groups and organisations that can provide the patient with services that will improve their quality of life
• Welfare advice
• A patient grant application process
• Educational talks throughout Wales
• Staff resources

We support projects that benefit a kidney patient's wellbeing promoting physical exercise and socialising with peers. We fund various wellbeing projects including an annual activity weekend for children and youths with chronic and end stage kidney disease; Christmas & New Year day out for children with chronic and end stage kidney disease and their families; funding patients to take part in transplant games. It is our goal to support more patients to get active and improve their quality of life through fitness and as a result take part in the transplant games annually.

The PKD Charity is dedicated to the concerns of people affected by PKD -Polycystic Kidney Disease - incurable, inherited long-term chronic conditions.

The Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA UK) is the only charity in the UK especially for people with pulmonary hypertension (PH). We are committed to helping improve the lives of people with PH and supporting the PH community in the UK. We do this by funding research into PH, raising awareness of the condition and helping people in their day to day lives.

Rett UK is the only UK charity which provides professional support to people living with Rett syndrome across the UK.

Rett UK was founded in 1985 round a kitchen table by Yvonne Milne MBE. Since then we have grown to be the leading provider of information to not only families but also medical professionals new to the world of Rett syndrome.

Our purpose…

Rett UK is a national charity dedicated to supporting and empowering people with Rett syndrome and their families.

Our strategic aims are to …

• provide professional family-support services, activities and events at a local, regional and national level
• educate health, social care and education professionals about Rett syndrome to enable quicker diagnosis and improved standards of care throughout the UK
• advocate for people with Rett syndrome to be given the support and resources needed to be active communicators
• promote, support and encourage research into new therapies and treatments for Rett syndrome

Our vision…

That everyone with Rett syndrome is given every possible opportunity to achieve their individual potential so that they may live their life to the full.

We are a small team working on a national level. We receive NO government funding and rely entirely on donations and grants to fund our work.

Visit us at www.rettuk.org or contact us on 01582 798 910 to learn more about our work and how you can help.

The Royal Osteoporosis Society is the only UK-wide charity fighting for a future without osteoporosis.

The more £1 entries you play, the more chance you'll have to win and the more you'll help to improve someone's bone health and quality of life.

Join today and help to make a difference

Your support will help will help develop greater knowledge and understanding of osteoporosis and broken bones so we can build better bone health for everybody.

Thank you and good luck!

Living with sight loss can be scary and can leave people feeling vulnerable and isolated. With the right support, life with sight loss can be very different.

We see a world where someone with sight loss has the opportunity to live a fulfilling live. We see opportunities, hope and possibilities.

As one of Scotland’s oldest charities, we have been supporting people with the impact of sight loss for over two centuries. We support people of all ages who are living with sight loss, as well as those around them.

Every hour in Scotland someone starts to lose their sight. By playing our lottery, you’ll help us to be there for people struggling with the impact of sight loss, exactly when they need us.

Somerville Heart Foundation is the only organisation focusing on those born with a heart condition (congenital), providing practical and emotional support, enabling them to take control of their lives and manage their own heart condition.

Thanks to advancements in medical treatment today more and more people born with heart conditions are living long, full and happy lives. It can however still be very hard to manage the challenges of living with a congenital heart condition.

Vision

A world where everyone born with a heart condition receives medical care, they lead healthy, happy lives and reach their full potential.

Mission

To ensure that everyone born with a heart condition enjoys access to every opportunity, is free from discrimination and is fully support throughout their life.

Support Us

Help us to continue to support young people and adults born with a heart condition and raise funds by playing the Unity Lottery.

Speakeasy charity works across the North West providing long term help for people touched by aphasia - a complex, communication difficulty affecting speech, understanding, reading and writing. We offer purposeful, therapeutic, personally focused activities directed by speech and language therapists, for people with aphasia and their carer towards developing communication skills and confidence thus enabling people to re-engage with life.

Charity Registration Number: 516092

Founded in 1995 as Epilepsy Bereaved, today SUDEP Action is the only UK charity with specialist expertise in supporting and working alongside anyone bereaved by epilepsy.

The free support service is tailored - led by what the bereaved need and want. Services include ongoing emotional support, counselling, advocacy, information, advice, and involvement in research through The Epilepsy Death Register.

At least 21 people in the UK die each week from epilepsy, and nearly half of these are potentially avoidable with better risk awareness and access to services. Epilepsy deaths can be devastating and traumatic and can leave many unanswered questions.

SUDEP Action work to prevent epilepsy deaths and promote better awareness of epilepsy risks, information and services. Free award-winning safety tools and resources are provided to clinicians, people with epilepsy and their families. Including EpSMon, a free self-monitoring digital app for epilepsy patients, and the SUDEP & Seizure Safety Checklist, a clinical tool supporting epilepsy risk management and discussions. The charity also collaborates with UK and international research teams, focusing on finding the answers to help save lives.

Our charity delivers High Dose Oxygen Therapy in a pressurised environment to all those in need, at a low affordable cost. We can help with a range of conditions including Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer's, cancer healing, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, ulcers, and sports injuries. High dose oxygen increases the oxygen levels in your blood which helps the body to accelerate healing, generating new stem cells, repair damaged tissue and limit scar formation that can limit nerve function.

We also have a power assisted gym where people with limited mobility can have a full body workout.

www.suffolkoxygentherapy.co.uk

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The British Polio Fellowship is the largest UK charity dedicated to supporting the tens of thousands of people who survived the polio epidemics of the first half of the 20th Century. There are estimated to be 120,000 people living in the UK alone who have had polio and are now suffering from the neurological condition of Post Polio Syndrome (PPS).

The British Polio Fellowship was established in 1939 and has since grown into a national membership organisation that supports approximately 10,000 members through its extensive network of Branches and Groups and a national information and support Telephone Helpline.

The needs of people living with polio and Post Polio Syndrome (PPS) are changing and increasing continuously and The Fellowship provides information on all aspects of managing the condition. It also provides a dedicated Disability and Benefits Advice Line and supports members in need through Welfare and holiday grants. The bi-monthly member magazine, The Bulletin, is a valuable source of information and has proven to be a lifeline to many of those who live in isolation.

To make a donation telephone Freephone 0800 018 0586

We receive no government funding for our core work and therefore depend on grants, donations to survive.

The Deaf Academy is a unique place where Deaf children and young people aged five-25 are inspired to believe in themselves and journey towards successful independent lives. Founded in 1826, the Academy has grown into a specialist organisation with a national reputation for enabling vulnerable and isolated Deaf young people to excel.

Without support, Deaf children struggle to learn language. Our students often come to us with very limited vocabulary, which can lead to communication and behavioural challenges. Deaf children are less than half as likely to achieve A-C GCSE grades as hearing children of the same ability. The language barriers faced by Deaf children can leave them feeling incredibly isolated and at risk of developing mental health issues. Deaf children are almost twice as likely to experience a social or emotional condition as their hearing peers.

Our goal is to change this. We welcome children from across the UK, all of whom are Deaf, and many of whom may have additional complex needs. We have a strong reputation for engaging students who have struggled elsewhere in education.

Your support will ensure we can offer our amazing Deaf students the equipment and support they need to thrive. Thank you.

The Haemophilia Society is the only UK wide charity that supports, empowers, provides information and runs events for children, young people, new parents, families and our older community who are affected by rare genetic bleeding disorders.

Our mission is to help them live better lives and to support them during the challenges they face each day.

The Haven provides emotional support to families affected by a range of life limiting illnesses including cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's, Motor Neurone Disease and dementia. We now operate 3 drop-in centres across Lanarkshire located in Blantyre, Wishaw and Forth.

Each centre delivers programmes of support tailored to meet each person's individual needs. Every year, The Haven supports around 900 people providing vital information and emotional support to enable them to cope positively with the impact of illness and caring so that they are able to lead fulfilled lives with hope. Our children's service caters for the different emotional support needs of young people who are coming to terms with family illness or loss of a loved one.

The money raised from this lottery provides The Haven with a regular, dependable source of income which will help to ensure that we can support more people in the community affected by life limiting illness.

It's really easy to take the simplest things in life for granted, a stroll in the sunshine or even walking the dog. For people suffering with debilitating musculoskeletal conditions every step can feel like a mile.

We offer life changing treatment for patients suffering these types of orthopaedic and musculoskeletal conditions. Through surgery and therapeutic care we significantly improve the quality of life of our patients.

Every penny donated to us is reinvested to enhance the facilities and services we offer our patients. We ensure that each patient's experience meets the highest standards possible in treatment and care and from this we can continue to change our patient's lives.

In taking part in our lottery you can help us to make a positive difference every day.

The Myalgic Encephalopathy Association (MEA)
Registered Charity No 801279

Since 1978, the ME Association has developed expertise across post-infectious illnesses - particularly Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Post-Viral Fatigue Syndrome, and now Long Covid.

With around 250,000 or more ME, CFS & PVFS sufferers in the UK, and their carers, plus a similar number of Long Covid sufferers who have indistinguishable symptoms and tend towards chronicity, this is a very large patient population, the majority of whom range from significantly to very severely affected.

After more than 50 years of resistance to recognising these patients and developing effective treatments to help manage their condition, last year NICE finally published reasonable guidance on good practice, and we are working to get tha properly implemented across UK health and care services.

At the same time, we continue to directly fund what research we can, while pressing for full-scale research funding by government agencies.

By you playing The ME Association Lottery, we can reach more people affected by these devastating medical conditions. Thank you.

We are here to help people with migraine.

The Migraine Trust is dedicated to helping people affected by migraine. We are the only UK migraine charity providing information and support, campaigning for awareness and change, and funding and promoting research.
One in seven people in the UK live with migraine, and this complex and debilitating neurological disorder significantly affects their lives. We have been leading and bringing the migraine community together to change this since 1965.
Every year over two million people visit our website and thousands contact our helplines for information and support on all aspects of migraine and for help in managing it at work, in education, and in accessing healthcare.
We campaign for increased awareness and understanding of migraine, and national policy change to improve the lives of people who get it.
We have funded over 140 medical research projects and hold an international symposium every two years to bring together the world’s leading experts on migraine.

Pituitary conditions are rare, about 80,000 people in the UK are affected. Imagine how lonely, isolating and often frightening it is to be told you have a pituitary tumour or disorder. You have no idea what that means and no one around you knows or possibly understands either. The majority of patients wait for years to be diagnosed and then may need surgery, radiotherapy and possibly replacement hormones treatment for the rest of their lives.

Having a pituitary condition can affect you both physically and emotionally. For some patients it is a long term condition and can have a debilitating effect on their quality of life.

The Pituitary Foundation is the only charity in the UK and Republic of Ireland for pituitary patients and their families. Every year we provide support to thousands of adults and also help parents of children who are affected through services such as: Helplines, Local Support Groups, Telephone Buddies and Information Publications.

Patient Information and Support Helpline 0845 450 0375.

The Thalidomide Society was formed in 1962 by the parents of children affected by the drug thalidomide. The original aim of the Society was to provide mutual support and a social network as well as to seek compensation.

Today the Society's members include those affected by thalidomide, their families and carers as well as people with similar dysmelic impairments. The Society

• continues to provide a social network,
• strives to provide insight and information to anyone seeking to understand the history of thalidomide,
• contributes to ongoing research and archival material on the drug and
• supports projects which ensure the impact of thalidomide is never forgotten.

Thank you very much for your support and may we ask you to tell your friends, neighbours and work colleagues about us and encourage them to join our lottery. www.thalidomidesociety.org

At Thistle, we support people living with disabilities, long-term health conditions or facing challenging life situations to live well, whatever that means to them.

We support people to take control of their life, focusing on the person, not their situation. We listen to what each person tells us they need and we tailor our support around that, working beside them until they are able to manage life without us.

With your support we can reach more people across Scotland – and sooner. When we’re able to reach people sooner, we can help ensure that someone’s health crisis doesn’t become a life crisis.

Thyroid UK is a small UK charity with a big impact and even bigger ambitions. Since 1998 we have become a leading source of support and information for many thousands of people seeking help with their thyroid condition each year. An incredible four million people in the UK have thyroid disease - more than 90% of them being women. Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are seen in 2% of women and 0.2% in men. Subclinical hypothyroidism (untreated hypothyroidism) is present in 10% of the population (6.1 million of them women). This all makes the push for better diagnosis and treatment a pressing women’s health concern.

Thyroid UK is here to help people put the pieces of the puzzle together, empowering them with the knowledge and confidence to work with their doctor, and to be participants in their own care. Policy makers, commissioners and clinicians are increasingly recognising us as the voice of thyroid patients, speaking up for better diagnosis, treatment and management of thyroid diseases.

Tinnitus UK is here to support the 7.6 million people in the UK affected by tinnitus. We provide free support as well as leading the charge for more investment in tinnitus research, and work with healthcare professionals to improve tinnitus care. To everyone living with tinnitus, our message is clear – your struggle is our cause.

We are striving for a world where no one suffers with tinnitus.
That’s why we provide free support to anyone with tinnitus or caring for someone with tinnitus.

That’s why we are leading the charge for more investment in tinnitus research.

That’s why we are connecting the research community to people living with tinnitus to ensure those searching for new treatments and a cure understand the impact of tinnitus on everyday lives.

That’s why we work with healthcare professionals to ensure you receive the right information to manage your tinnitus.

For every seven adults in the UK, one will have tinnitus. Think about that the next time you’re in the supermarket, on the bus, or walking down the street. Tinnitus affects 7.6 million people in the UK – with 1.5 million of them having severe tinnitus.

To everyone living with tinnitus our message is clear – your struggle is our cause.

The Tuberous Sclerosis Association (TSA), founded in 1977, is the only UK charity focused on improving the lives of people affected by the rare genetic disorder Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC). TSC can lead to growths in various organs of the body, but those most commonly affected are the brain, eyes, heart, kidney, skin and lungs.
The TSA aims to provide help for today and a cure for tomorrow by:
• Providing direction or a listening ear through our support and information services for the TSC community, including through our UK-wide TSA Support Line
• Organising events and opportunities across the UK and virtually for those affected by TSC, allowing the TSC community to come together and feel less alone
• Funding internationally-significant research into the causes, diagnosis, management and treatment of TSC that has the greatest impact on those affected by the condition
• Campaigning on behalf of the TSC community to ensure that the TSC community has consistent and meaningful access to social support and healthcare provision.
We look to our past to retain our community spirit, but drive forward by pushing the boundaries of what a small and dedicated team is capable of achieving
Our vision is a world where TSC and its effects are conquered.

Unique is the only UK charity supporting and informing families affected by life-long rare chromosome disorders (RCDs). Though individually rare, at least 1 in 200 live born babies have a RCD, often causing physical and learning disabilities along with complex health issues. We currently have almost 3,000 member families in the UK, many caring for children who are very sick and severely disabled and having no source of information and support. Membership has increased five-fold in the last nine years. Using our database we are able to focus on the health needs of our community and link families with others living with similar disorders for mutual support. This network is what makes our community so strong.

These needs were originally identified by families with children who have been diagnosed with RCDs who had nowhere to turn for help or information. Their vision and dedication mean Unique has been able to grow, developing a world-leading relational database of RCDs, updated and used constantly to inform families and professionals alike. We have forged strong links with the genetics and medical communities with many specialists refering families to Unique immediately after diagnosis.

The severity of the health-related needs of our members varies greatly by specific disorder; many of our children will be totally dependent on their carers for the duration of their lives. Most require some level of medical intervention, many having life-limiting and even life-threatening health issues.

Unique also serves the medical community by providing information on thousands of different RCDs, continuing to build a knowledge base around poorly understood conditions. We inspire the geneticists, doctors, nurses, therapists, midwives and others who come into contact with children suffering from the consequences of RCDs. This synergy between specialists, medical research and families has helped to create a wealth of information not previously available.

Versus Arthritis (formely Arthritis Care) is here with guidance, information and support for the millions of people across the UK who live with arthritis every day.

Our dedicated team are here to help those affected, right through from the early signs of arthritis, to diagnosis, to helping people get their lives back on track. Our free Helpline is open every weekday to help people find answers to their questions, and we have a wide range of free publications that we send out to thousands of people every month.

We also have over 130 groups and branches throughout the UK, ran by people with arthritis, giving people the opportunity to spend time with others who share and understand what it's like to live with arthritis, and our online community provides 24-hour support on the things that matter most to people living with arthritis. However, we can't reach everyone we need to, and with an ageing population, more people are going to be diagnosed in the near future. You can help us ensure that everyone with arthritis will have somewhere to turn to.

To find out more go to www.versusarthritis.org or call the helpline for free on 0808 800 4050.

Yes to Life empowers people with cancer to make informed decisions about their care options. For almost two decades, we have provided evidence-based information to those in need.

Most importantly, we offer individual support through:

• our helpline
• our website
• information via blogs
• our publications
• the weekly Yes to Life Radio Show on UK Health Radio
• our CANCERTALK Podcast
• our Wigwam cancer support groups
• wellbeing sessions
• our peer to peer support service
• our e-learning platform for Healthcare professionals
• Our public events and workshops

We also believe in the benefits of a positive approach. Of course, a cancer diagnosis is frightening, but instead of talking about ‘victims’ and ‘battling with disease’, we feel that forward-looking optimism is crucial. We have seen the realistic hope that results from gaining access to information, and from being empowered to explore your individual needs and make your own choices to manage your condition, as you see fit. Our role is to help people to decide what they want to do to help themselves – by providing information and referring them to qualified experts – and then to support them in their chosen path.