Arthritis affects a staggering six million Canadians, or one in five. Given the alarming prevalence, which is growing, it would be challenging to find a person without a connection to the disease. Whether it’s a loved one, friend, colleague or neighbour, it’s likely that arthritis has a presence in all our lives.
Supporting Arthritis Society Canada is a way to fight back against this devastating disease – Canada’s most chronic health condition that causes intense pain, restricts mobility and erodes peoples’ quality of life. Leaving a gift in your Will is a meaningful way to support the cause, and it’s much easier than you might think.
Step 1 – Decide what your gift will be
No matter the size of your estate, every gift in a Will helps to have a lasting impact on the type of world you would like to pass on to future generations.
Step 2 – Make or update your Will
The truth is you can amend your Will at any time. Adding a gift is as simple as letting your intentions be known to those who drafted your documents in the first place.
Whether you are having your first Will drafted or you are revising your current one, you can do one or both of the following:
- Leave a percentage of your assets after your loved ones have received care. This is called a residual gift. Even a rate as small as 1% can make a massive difference.
- Leave a legacy gift in a specific dollar amount, often called a particular gift.
Step 3 – Notify your loved ones and Arthritis Society Canada
Preparing your Will is the best way to ensure your wishes for those you love become reality. Sharing your decision with Arthritis Society Canada allows us to thank you personally.
Once you’ve done this, your legacy will be in motion – and you’ll join an impassioned group of people who have done the same.
One such person is Cheryl Johnson. As someone who has arthritis, she felt it was appropriate to leave a gift in her Will to the organization that has supported her. “I decided to leave a gift to Arthritis Society Canada in my Will so that the vitally important work they’re doing will continue,” Cheryl says. Read more about her choice.
If you’d like to get started on your legacy journey or would like further information about leaving a gift in your Will, please contact Liesl Drayton, Director, Planned Giving, at ldrayton@arthritis.ca.