Dear all,

My best friend Amy died in her sleep on 26th March 2009.  This was a shock for all of us and there are no words that can truly express the extent of my grief - suffice to say that I love her and she will be forever in my thoughts.

Amy had a congenital heart condition (she was born with just half a heart: one atrium and one ventricle) which she dealt with inspirationally: she had no self-pity and always strived for an independent life.  We’d been best friends since Amy was 11 and I was 12 - we met doing school plays together.

There is a Facebook page where people have left messages and tributes for Amy (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=144066845654&ref=ts), and also an article in the Croydon Advertiser: http://www.thisiscroydontoday.co.uk/news/Tributes-young-Shirley-woman-dies-unexpectedly-sleep/article-889837-detail/article.html.

Amy sometimes suffered when members of the public made unthinking or unfeeling comments - for example an elderly person who saw her walking away from her car, when parked in a disabled space, shouted at her that she didn’t ‘deserve’ a blue badge - or people commenting on how breathless she was (even calling her ‘unfit’) - or muttering that as a young person she should be giving up her seat on the bus to someone older.  There are so many people with hidden disabilities and it would be fantastic if even just one person comes away from this page thinking about how the slightest comment can really hurt someone; and spreads this message to their friends and colleagues.

Amy took great support from the “GUCH” (Grown Up Congenital Heart) Patients’ Association and often gave support to other congenital heart patients on this charity’s message board.  She also went on a GUCH weekend where she really enjoyed meeting people who she could talk to about the experience of undergoing complicated heart surgery.

For my birthday this year I would like to make a big donation to GUCH so they can carry on supporting congenital heart patients.  If you are someone who might have spent money on a present or card for my birthday, please give even a small amount to this page instead if you feel you can.  Thank you in advance.

Love,

Laura  xxxxxxxx