The
Cardiomyopathy
Association

Cardiomyopathy Week

Every September the CMA holds a Cardiomyopathy Week and needs your help.

The special week is designed to raise awareness of cardiomyopathy and the work of the CMA, and encourage supporters to take part in fundraising activies.

The week kicks off with our information day and AGM in London on the first day, September 20th, but we are hoping all our members will try to help by:

• Holding a Red Dressdown Day at their work place, school or college, or social club and asking people to donate £2 (£1 for schools) to take part. The CMA can supply bespoke or general posters for the event. Call us or email info@cardiomyopathy.org . The poster can also be downloaded here.

• Ensuring their clinic has cardiomyopathy literature and details of the Cardiomyopathy Association. The CMA can provide free booklets, posters and newsletters.

• Organising their own event such as a pub quiz, garden sale or coffee morning. For advice about holding such an event or for CMA promotional items, contact the CMA.

• Telling their cardiomyopathy story to the media. You can either contact your local newspaper yourself or ask Sarah Dennis at the CMA to help. She can draw up a press release, and following your approval, send it to your local media.

• Writing to their local MP asking whether Government guidelines drawn up in 2005 for the care of families with cardiomyopathy are being introduced in their area. The CMA has a draft letter you can follow and personalise. You can download the letter from our website. Alternatively, request a copy from the CMA. You can find your MP's name and contact details by going to www.parliament.uk/directories/hciolists/alcm.cfm but if you need help with this, do contact the CMA. You could also send a copy of the letter to the chief executive of your local NHS trust.

• Having a CMA collection box to collect from friends or families or finding a local pub or other public place that will take it.
  If you are holding an event in Cardiomyopathy Week, please let us know so we can list it here. Email full details to sarah.dennis@cardiomyopathy.org

Dedicated to Damian McLoughlin, who died age 20 of cardiomyopathy. This site is supported by Damian's family and friends.