"We are very grateful to Dr Gerry McCann, a cardiologist"

by **Tony Bennett** 14.10.14 23:00

KATE & GERRY DONATE £10,000 TO LOCAL CHARITY FIGHTING HEART DISEASE IN YOUNG PEOPLE

Kate and Gerry McCann with Steve and Angela Humphries

Kate and Gerry McCann have donated £10,000 to a charity to help save the lives of young people.

The couple from Rothley have given the cash to the Leicestershire-based charity The Joe Humphries Memorial Trust.

It was set up in memory of the 14-year-old boy who died from sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS) while out running near his family home, also in Rothley, two years ago, in October 2012.

Kate and Gerry handed over the money, won in a recent libel case from a national newspaper, at the second annual SADS Awareness Conference at the Tigers stadium.

Dr Ffion Davies, medical advisor to the trust and an emergency doctor at Leicester’s hospitals, said: “Kate and Gerry support what the trust is doing.

“They are both doctors and of course Gerry is a cardiologist.”

She added: “The money is extremely welcome. It will help us with the schools programme, delivering CPR training to students and staff. At the moment we are heavily reliant on volunteers.

“It will also help to support the annual conference and perhaps help us to buy a defibrillator.”

Last year the conference, organised by the trust in conjunction with Leicester’s hospitals, attracted 35 mostly local health professionals.

Numbers were up to around 50 this year with a number of delegates from outside Leicestershire.

Dr Davies said: “We teach delegates about this type of heart disease and how to go back into the local community and provide CPR training for schools.

“We are ahead of the game in this respect.”

The conference, opened with an address by former rugby international Martin Johnson, the charity’s patron, was the culmination of a week of activities, from October 4-11, to mark national SADS Awareness Week.

The theme of the week - don’t be faint-hearted - highlighted how fainting without warning in otherwise healthy individuals can be a symptom of an unexplained heart conditions such as SADS.

Leicester City, Leicester Tigers and Leicester Riders have all backed the campaign.

Demonstrations on life saving skills, including CPR, were given at half time at each of their recent matches.

Dr Davies said: “We have reached out to at least 60,000 people in the last few days.”

It is estimated that 12 young people, aged 12-35, die each week from SADS in Britain.

Steve Humphries, Joe’s father and chairman of the trust, said: “We are lifting the lid on these heart diseases and we are encouraged that key medical practitioners are taking steps to tackle this silent killer.”

He added how much the McCann’s donation meant to him and his wife Angela.

“Both families have gone through the loss of a child in very different ways.

“Kate and Angela have supported each other.”

http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Kate-Gerry-McCann-donate-10-000-local-charity/story-23159218-detail/story.html

by Dont Make Me Laff 14.10.14 23:03

Was the donation from the McCanns?

by palm tree 14.10.14 23:23

Strange, not missing people, if I didn't know better, I'd be thinking this might have happened to Maddie.
IMO

by jeanmonroe 14.10.14 23:44

The conference, opened with an address by former rugby international Martin Johnson, the charity’s patron,
------------------------------------------------------------

The SAME Martin Johnson, that 'launched' the McCann's PRIVATE Limited Company, Madeleine's 'Fund'.

You know the one, where 'normal' people THOUGHT they were 'donating' to a 'search' fund for Madeleine, but were actually 'duped' into making payments for the McCann's mortgage!

You know the one, where a group of handicapped kiddies 'raised' £37-59p through determination and sheer guts, which the McCanns then 'spent' towards paying for their 'witnesses' to go to Portugal with them for a libel case against the leading PJ investigator that sought to establish the material truth about what happened to their 'missing', so ONLY they say, daughter.

THAT Martin Johnson?

OK, got it!

How many 'ner-do-wells', recently exposed, had 'hidden' behind the 'look at us, we can't be guilty of anything, WE 'GIVE' to charidy'?

by sparkle 15.10.14 0:00

I saw this on the BBC East Midlands news this evening and was very surprised. The piece focused on the need to train school children (and as many others as possible) in CPR as studies in other countries which make this part of general education have shown this can really improve national survival rates following cardiac arrest. Then Kate McCann popped up! Why this new bandwagon - surely it makes the general public make a mental link which TM would not think desirable?

by canada12 15.10.14 0:09

Where did the other £45,000 go...?

by Dont Make Me Laff 15.10.14 0:29

sparkle wrote:I saw this on the BBC East Midlands news this evening and was very surprised. The piece focused on the need to train school children (and as many others as possible) in CPR as studies in other countries which make this part of general education have shown this can really improve national survival rates following cardiac arrest. Then Kate McCann popped up! Why this new bandwagon - surely it makes the general public make a mental link which TM would not think desirable?

any chance of a link sparkle?
:-)
thanks

by aiyoyo 15.10.14 1:30

canada12 wrote:Where did the other £45,000 go...?

Missing people ?

Hiding behind charities to manage their reputation.
Oscar Pistorius defence is going down this route at the moment.
Don't they just love it, people in crime just love to pretend to do good to help their own cause?

Haven't we heard it all before ? Jimmy Savile etc ?

by sparkle 15.10.14 3:18

Link for the CPR report on East Midlands Today which had the McCanns involved:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b04l2m47/east-midlands-today-14102014 watch from 4.40 and it's just a couple of minutes long

by flaxyard 15.10.14 8:03

Blood money

by plebgate 15.10.14 8:08

People will always kiss backsides when money is about.

Couldn't care less how much they give to charity.

How wonderful for them(NOT) to be in a position to be giving these amounts away, a position they would not have been in had they not had a beautiful little girl go missing during a holiday that was for them as well. Wouldn't be able to sue newspapers, senior police officer, tv stations and threaten old age pensioner with jail.

Yes, bloomin wonderful to have their photos all over newspapers and tv because they are able to give to charity.

Such a contrast as to why their eldest daughter's photo is all over newspapers and tv worldwide isn't it. Pah they make me so annoyed.

How about keeping a low profile whilst the search by two countries is ongoing looking for that poor little mite and why not donate anonymously?

Whatever they do for charity I COULD NOT CARE LESS.

Answer those 48 questions, that's the starting point as far as I am concerned.

PAH, so annoyed to read this, this morning.

by tiny 15.10.14 8:20

flaxyard wrote:Blood money

That's my thought too.

by woodforthetrees 15.10.14 8:51

You'll probably find that the McCanns had no choice but to give the money to them. Most likely, the terms of the payout from the Times would be that they do not personally recieve a penny, but the paper would be willing to make a charity payment or 2.

I'm sure if they were in control of it, there's no way they'd dish out their winnings, errm, i mean 'victim money'

by plebgate 15.10.14 9:05

As we do not know the details of the settlement we do not know what choices - if any - they had.

Monies could still be donated anonymously, but here we have photos and people telling us how very grateful they are, blah blah blah.

No time for them at all.

by Doug D 15.10.14 9:10

I don’t believe any mention of the ‘out of court settlement’ has been made in The Times or The Sunday Times and certainly no further apology has been made since the half hearted one at the end of last year.

As has been previously suggested, it looks as though it was the cheapest option to settle like this, rather than incur huge legal costs taking it to Court and for the ‘bean-counters’ at the paper it was a ‘no-brainer’ decision.

by aiyoyo 15.10.14 9:25

woodforthetrees wrote:You'll probably find that the McCanns had no choice but to give the money to them. Most likely, the terms of the payout from the Times would be that they do not personally recieve a penny, but the paper would be willing to make a charity payment or 2.

I'm sure if they were in control of it, there's no way they'd dish out their winnings, errm, i mean 'victim money'

I doubt the Times can dictate terms who the award money should go to.
It's the McCanns money since they were awarded it and theirs to decide what to do with it.
Had it not been for the Metropolitan Police searching for Madeleine rendering their private detectives redundant I have no doubt at all they would have kept it in the name of the search.

They'd no choice in the matter. Had they kept the money in the private limited company that will draw immediate negative attention to the gullible public who didn't suspect the fund before. And also that will give the Times and the Express added reason to monitor the Fund and report on the dodgy spendings when the time is right.

Should they have kept the money for their defence? Who knows if it will come to that? They certainly seemed confident (or at least gave the impression) their liberty won't be compromised.

by margaret 15.10.14 9:50

It's the first time in 7 years they've actually donated money OUTSIDE their fund. They must be desperate for good publicity.

by aiyoyo 15.10.14 10:11

margaret wrote:It's the first time in 7 years they've actually donated money OUTSIDE their fund. They must be desperate for good publicity.

The thing it, not as if it was their own money donated. It was blood money won through litigation, so I don't understand what the big fuss was about. Who'd informed the press about their visit to the Charity ? I can't see the charity wanting that kind of limelight and I don't believe the press just happened to show by chance for the photo shoot.

The Mcs are suckers for lime light, and won't miss any opportunity to let the public know they are victims and good hearted victims at that, and it might backfire spectacularly. Look, they'd even forgiven the abductor, but they can't forgive their critics not even tweeter users. Anyone who disbelieves them should be made example of and more should be charged according to "good hearted" Gerry. Paradox or taking the biscuit!

by Snifferdog 15.10.14 10:27

Well well well. It does look to me as though the moneys ~~donated by Murdoch for the postponed trail in Portugal, w~~on by the McCanns without even a whimper from the Murdoch press, was to be used for the trial, but, as it cannot be given back to the paper without incurring suspicion, it was decided that the money would be donated to a cause "close" to Gerrys heart, seeing he is a heart consultant doc né? All done to show what a "generous" couple they are, etc.
However, we are not stupid and can see it is an exercise in public relations. Why the need for all the publicly then???
The McCanns have never to my knowledge used their own money for anything related to anything other than themselves. All in my own opinion.

by canada12 15.10.14 11:07

In Canada if you make a large donation to a charity you get a whopping credit at tax time.

Could the McCanns have been doing this for the tax break? Are there similar tax rules in the UK?

by pennylane 15.10.14 11:31

(JPEG Image, 87 × 90 pixels)

Snifferdog wrote:Well well well. It does look to me as though the moneys ~~donated by Murdoch for the postponed trail in Portugal, w~~on by the McCanns without even a whimper from the Murdoch press, was to be used for the trial, but, as it cannot be given back to the paper without incurring suspicion, it was decided that the money would be donated to a cause "close" to Gerrys heart, seeing he is a heart consultant doc né? All done to show what a "generous" couple they are, etc.
However, we are not stupid and can see it is an exercise in public relations. Why the need for all the publicly then???
The McCanns have never to my knowledge used their own money for anything related to anything other than themselves. All in my own opinion.

Yes how very touching of 'Kate & Gerry' to donate money to charity..........and then promptly announce it to the media. "We are very grateful to Dr Gerry McCann, a cardiologist" 9k=

"We are very grateful to Dr Gerry McCann, a cardiologist" 9k=

by nglfi 15.10.14 12:09

I think they really need to stay away from charity events. It's very sad to say but true that many many people give to charity as a way of covering for their guilt. I personally immediately think of Jimmy Savile. Sadly a lot of people only give to charity for selfish/publicity reasons. It's also not good for their libel case against Amaral. I thought their claims centred around being cast out from society, everyone thinking they were guilty, stresss and unhappiness etc. This charity giving gives the opposite impression. People see them as good, kind hearted, still treated like celebrities etc

by **sharonl** 16.10.14 0:09

Dont Make Me Laff wrote:Was the donation from the McCanns?

It was probably from the British Heart Foundation who is a partner to the charity.

This is the charity http://jhmt.org.uk/

Doesn't Gerry link to the BHF in some way?

The McCanns may have lost some support following the loss of Leicester Lady Brenda Leyland but now the people of Leicestershire can see what a great couple the McCanns really are. winkwink

by jeanmonroe 16.10.14 0:11

sharonl wrote:
Dont Make Me Laff wrote:Was the donation from the McCanns?

It was probably from the British Heart Foundation who is a partner to the charity.

This is the charity http://jhmt.org.uk/

Doesn't Gerry link to the BHF in some way?

YEP!

He once NAMED the BHF as his 'place of residence' in the 'fund' accounts!

by Snifferdog 16.10.14 7:42

jeanmonroe wrote:
sharonl wrote:
Dont Make Me Laff wrote:Was the donation from the McCanns?

It was probably from the British Heart Foundation who is a partner to the charity.

This is the charity http://jhmt.org.uk/

Doesn't Gerry link to the BHF in some way?

YEP!

He once NAMED the BHF as his 'place of residence' in the 'fund' accounts!

:help:sometimes wonder what would have been GMs objective in doing so? Just Weird...
Somehow the help emoticon inserted itself in front of my post and it cannot be removed, but its nevertheless somewhat appropriate, as I would like to know the answer.