How We’re Making a Difference.
There are over 250,000 adults who were born with a heart condition living in the UK. The Somerville Foundation (previously GUCH Patients Association) provides support for young people and adults born with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) & (ACHD). The charity exists to create a world where they receive excellent medical care, and lead happy, healthy lives.
To do this, we aim to:
- Provide all congenital heart patients with accurate, timely information and advice. Allowing them to grasp opportunities, take informed decisions and make positive lifestyle choices
- Combat isolation and poverty for congenital heart patients and their families
- Fight discrimination through campaigns, education and the promotion of congenital heart patients’ rights
- Enable congenital heart patients to share and learn from experiences and support each other.
But we can’t do it alone. In order to ensure they enjoy access to every opportunity, are free from discrimination, and are fully supported throughout their lives, we need your help.
How We’re Changing Lives.
Services
The Membership Scheme (launched in February 2021) is another step in helping us to achieve our vision of a world where ACHD patients receive excellent medical care and lead longer, happier, healthier lives. All we ask is that Members provide some details upon logging in. This information will enable us to provide tailored services such as our Growing Older campaign, and area-specific information. The more we are able to engage with the ACHD community, the better the service we can offer.
- Advocacy and peer support
- Social community groups
- Access to wellbeing counselling
- Employment law specialist
- Life and travel insurance and brokers
- Financial support
- Annual Conference
- Regular Online events, webinars & meet ups
- Quarterly ACHD newsletter
& much much more!
Our History
Supporting patients since 1993
- Started life as the Grown Up Congenital Heart Patients Association
- Co-founded by Professor Jane Somerville and Judy Shedden MBE
- Initial funding was obtained from the British Heart Foundation in 1993
- Registered as a charity in 1994
- Created to enable congenital heart patients to help and support each other
- Renamed The Somerville Foundation, in honour of Professor Jane Somerville, in 2012
Our Impact
The UK’s Only charity dedicated to supporting congenital heart patients. Congenital heart defects (CHD) affects thousands of adults living in the UK today. Fortunately, thanks to our research and support, CHD patients are not only surviving into adulthood, they are also thriving. We provide the ACHD community with the following services:
- A national support network & good relationships with Specialists Centres and medical professionals
- A wealth of help and advice for members
- Financial support, such as grants through our hardship and covid funds for coaguchek machines, etc
- Campaigning for better services & support
- Research that saves lives
- The uk’s first congenital heart research centre
- Webinars, meet ups & conferences
- Closed social network groups for peer to peer support
Here are just some of the ways we’re helping to change lives for the better
- Established the UK’s first dedicated Congenital Heart Research Centre in partnership with the University of Suffolk.
- Launched a Freephone patient helpline – staffed by volunteers – to provide practical advice, a listening ear, and emotional reassurance at times of stress.
- Published a range of leaflets for CHD patients on topics such as lifestyle, travel insurance, and pregnancy which is frequently distributed.
- Produced a pocket-sized ‘personal health passport’. Useful for keeping all the information you need to know about your condition in one place.
- Publish a quarterly newsletter, written for, and by, adult CHD patients. Subscribers include members, supporters and medical, healthcare and social care professionals.
- Developed and regularly update an online resource centre (this website!) and online forums where congenital heart patients can connect with each other.
- Established a benevolent fund for CHD patients in financial hardship.
- Organise residential weekends and growing older events for teenagers and adults. Providing CHD patients with the opportunity to meet and gain support from each other.
- Hold annual conferences, regional patient information days and workshops throughout the UK.
- Contribute to adult CHD nurse training days and taken part in various study days and conferences for medical and health professionals, including the bi-annual EuroHeart conferences.
- Organising various social, publicity and fundraising events. These include receptions at the House of Commons, film premières, concerts, parachute jumps, marathon runs, annual sponsored walks, cycle races and masquerade balls.
Our Partners
Our corporate partners are making a real difference to adult CHD patients.
The valuable work we carry out wouldn’t be possible without the help and support of our corporate partners.
So, if you have decided to show your support to the Somerville Foundation, thank you.
Our corporate partners make it easier for adult CHD patients to:
- Enjoy access to every opportunity
- Be free from discrimination
- Be fully supported throughout their lives.
Because we know that every company is different – each of our partnerships is too. Find out how we can help to develop the right partnership for your business. Visit our corporate fundraising page to see how your business can help. Get in touch with us by filling out our online form to tailor your partnership and discuss your project and opportunities.
Investing in Volunteers
At The Somerville Foundation, we have achieved Investing in Volunteers’ status.
The UK quality standard for good practice in volunteer management, this shows volunteers – and potential volunteers – how much they are valued.
It also demonstrates our ability to provide an outstanding volunteer experience.
Find out more about volunteering with us
Research
With your help, we opened the UK’s first dedicated Congenital Heart Research Centre.
The Somerville Foundation has always worked hard to improve the lives of people who were born with a heart condition. However much more needs to be done; especially when it comes to research.
That’s why, with your help, The Somerville Foundation opened the UK’s first dedicated congenital heart research centre.
The centre of its kind in the UK, and part of only a handful worldwide, this state-of-the-art facility is run in partnership with The Somerville Foundation and The University of Suffolk.
Combining the University’s expertise in cardiovascular science, exercise physiology, and psychology, and our expertise in supporting people with CHD, the centre focuses on finding more effective ways to treat and support CHD patients. But more still needs to be done.
Today, too many congenital heart defect patients are dying prematurely and living restricted, and in some cases unhappy lives. We are a long way from having all the answers.
So, make a donation today and help us carry on our valuable work.
