Geoffrey Gilling-Smith
Page created by
Carole Gilling-Smith on 31/08/2010
Welcome to the Gift of Hope Heart Fund which has been set up in memory of my brother Geoffrey Gilling-Smith. The fund will be raising money for the British Heart Foundation to support research into heart disease.
Geoffrey was born with a co-arctation of the aorta. When he was 11 he underwent risky and pioneering surgery to correct this which allowed him to lead a full and active life. He followed his childhood ambition to become a doctor and specialised in vascular surgery where he became a leader in his field. As a Consultant in Vascular Surgery at the Royal Liverpool Hospital, he gave his all to his work and led pioneering reaseach into vascular disease, giving back to medicine far more than he had ever taken. He was also a man of many wonderful talents and touched the lives of everyone who knew him.
Sadly he was also born with a faulty aortic heart valve and it was surgery to correct this that led to his untimely death on January 17th 2010 at the age of 54.
This fund has been set up to raise money in his memory, through donations and charity events, to fund research into heart disease. In September 2010 I ran 'Le Marathon du Medoc' in Bordeaux in Geoffrey's memory in what I hope to be the first in many events in tribute to his life and to raise awareness of congenital heart disease and the importance of research to allow others with heart diseaase live life to the full. My brother liked the unique and somewhat eccentric aspects of life and would not have approved of me doing just a staightforward 26.2 miler. He was a great lover of fine wines and French food and so I chose the Bordeaux marathon as it was run through the vineyards of Bordeaux, our mother's home town. Along the way, each chateaux offered runners a chance to taste its wine, along with local fare such as foie gras, cheese and even oysters at the refueling stations.It was a gruelling ordeal but somehow not only did I finish but I felt Geoffrey's spirit and will power right behind me.
On 31st August 2011 our father Dryden died of heart disease. This has only fuelled my passion to support BHF in their fight for heart health. If you wish to donate please know that your contribution will go a long way. Please also leave a tribute to Geoffrey on this page if you wish.
Carole Gilling-Smith
Donations
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£0.00
Mr Blake Gorst
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£0.00
Mrs Margaret Erskine
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£20.00
Mrs elisabeth thompson
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£15.00
Miss Maxine Godsall
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£10.00
Ms Rachel Hore