Lizzie Stephens
In memory of Helen Dowie (1924-2020)
Fundraising for Aberlour – Scotland’s children’s charity
Story
In June, our beloved mum and granny Helen Dowie passed away, aged 95. We are raising money in her memory for Scottish children’s charity, Aberlour, to support its work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Granny Helen was a supporter of many charities throughout her life, but Aberlour was particularly special to her. It may be that she related to vulnerable families and children, as she lost her parents and sister Barbara to tuberculosis (TB) when she was very young. Granny Helen and her surviving siblings, Geoff and Joan, were separated and brought up by different family members.
In 1941, when Granny Helen was 17, she found her vocation. She moved to London at the height of the Blitz to become a nurse and care for those dying from TB. She worked in hospitals throughout World War Two, nursing children, British troops and German Prisoners of War. Then, in 1946, she went to Dundee to work as a district and chest nurse at Dundee Royal Infirmary and Noranside in Angus until better treatments for TB were found.
Granny Helen knew first-hand the impact of infectious diseases on communities and vulnerable families. It would have meant so much to her to have people make donations in her name to Aberlour to support its COVID Urgent Assistance Fund.
About Aberlour's COVID Urgent Assistance Fund
Aberlour has registered a 1,300% increase in requests for support over the past three months. Thanks to its supporters, it has so far disbursed over £400,000 to some of the most vulnerable children and families in Scotland for basic necessities such as food, electricity and nappies.
100% of the money raised through this page will go directly to families in need.