Please support us in raising funds for the Lupus Trust in honour of the memory of Michelle Ramsay-Fraser, the daughter of my close friend Jackie, who passed away from Lupus at age 24.

‘One of the happiest days of my life was the day my daughter, Michelle, was born. The saddest day of my life was the one on which she died as a result of contracting Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, more commonly known as Lupus. I miss Michelle every second of every day but smile and carry on with life as I know she would want me to. I have always given to charities in the past, but it has taken me 10 years to pluck up the courage to raise money for something so close to my heart.

Michelle got a lump under her arm just before her 21st birthday. We thought it was Lymphoma but, after a biopsy, we were told it wasn’t and later discovered she had Lupus. Michelle’s Lupus was extremely aggressive and started to affect all her internal organs and despite intensive medication and cancer treatment she died age 24, only 3 years after being diagnosed. She suffered terribly was in immense pain but still smiled. Her smile could light up a room.

Lupus is an autoimmune disease which is fairly common, but most people don’t know of it or know little about it. It affects mainly girls between 21 and 44 and can kill. Presently there is no cure for Lupus and although research continues, currently, the only treatment is medication for other illnesses that have been found to alleviate some of the symptoms.

I ask please can you help myself and my good friend Lynn raise money for Lupus research, so others who are diagnosed with this terrible disease may have hope of a cure being developed some time in the future. Lynn and I are fundraising for the Lupus Trust {formally known as St Thomas Lupus Trust}, a charitable organisation devoted to research into the causes and a possible cure for Lupus.

Amongst other fundraising activities, I intend to run a 10k race in September 2023 around the anniversary of Michelle’s death 10 years ago. It will be one of the hardest things I have done from both an emotional perspective and as a physical challenge. As a self-confessed couch potato and someone who loathes running, I am determined to prove that no matter how much I detest something, I would do anything for my daughter Michelle.

Please support me in this challenge by donating to our Just Giving page, the details of which are below.

Thank you for reading this and I look forward to seeing your donations go to a cause so close to my heart.

- Jackie’

In 1991, the Lupus Trust (Previously St Thomas Lupus Trust) was set up to fund vital research into lupus and provide information on lupus.

‘With every donation we are getting closer to knowing all about the mystery illness that is Lupus. We believe that working together with you, the Lupus Trust can achieve the impossible!’