Joan Mellish, 80, has supported World Cancer Research Fund and followed our Cancer Prevention Recommendations for 20 years. Here, Joan shares how she follows our Recommendations and explains her generous decision to support our long-term work by including a gift in her Will.
“Although I was already active, after reading the Recommendations from World Cancer Research Fund, I chose to swim on a daily basis after retiring – I had always swum regularly since learning at 12 years old – and took up Nordic walking and yoga once a week. And I will not let other invitations interfere with these activities.
“I especially like swimming and regularly swim 64 lengths in the pool. People don’t understand why I don’t get bored but whilst there I’m so intent on getting my lengths done in a certain amount of time! I also enjoy Nordic walking; we are led by a qualified teacher who explains the correct way to Nordic walk and finishes off each class with relaxing stretches and a cool-down.
“I so enjoy the fresh air and the exercise, I could walk for miles. The Nordic walking is a great full body exercise as it makes you use your arms and upper body to move the poles as you walk, and it makes you walk upright.”
“My father died of cancer, but it wasn’t diagnosed quickly. I thought it was the emphysema, which he’d had for around 25 years, but when I got the death certificate, I found that he had died of carcinoma of the lung. He was 82.
“Including a gift in my Will was a natural way of extending my support to World Cancer Research Fund. I thought I might be able do some good by helping to support and prevent people going through such pain.
“World Cancer Research Fund’s work and Recommendations particularly resonate with me, as I know the importance of living a healthy lifestyle.
“Many people don’t realise the impact eating the right things and doing exercise can have on our long-term health – I find that older adults often don’t exercise enough. So, to be able to support the charity in spreading their messages, now and in the future, makes me feel good.”
World Cancer Research Fund works with different Will writing providers across the country to allow our supporters to write a simple Will for free, whether online or through a participating solicitor who is local to them.
There’s no requirement to include a gift for World Cancer Research Fund to use this service, but we do hope that anyone using the service will consider doing so, after taking care of family, friends and loved ones.
Write your Will for free today
