In the years since Leanne passed away, her family & friends have been busy setting up a memorial charitable trust in her name. Because of the tragic and unexpected way in which she died we wanted to provide a positive channel for those who knew her and remembered her . As our ideas grew we came to what we feel is a valuable and worthwhile way to channel our grief, and extend our good will, through founding a charitable trust in her name.

Leanne had been fortunate in life, to have a loving family and wide circle of friends in England and in Portugal . She lived in Wantage, Oxfordshire in her early childhood where she was a pupil at Charlton Primary School. In 2001 she and her family moved to the Algarve in Portugal, and made their home in Sagres. She thoroughly enjoyed her new lifestyle and as the fun loving fun girl she was, embraced it whole heartedly . She attended a small Secondary School where she had many friends, and regularly visited her friends and family in England. She looked forward to her future and was making ambitious plans to travel the world once she finished her studies.

She had only just returned to her home in Portugal, after visiting Abingdon College where she planned to study for her “A” levels, which was the first step towards her dream vocation as a fashion designer, when she became unwell. Her condition deteriorated over the following days when it became clear to us that she was seriously ill. Leanne’s heart became too weak to fight the illness and she died at the young age of 15, of Myocarditis. Her mother and father were by her side at Santa Maria Hospital in Lisbon, Portugal, on the 8th March 2006.

We still arrange the Loulabell ball and have a special one planned for August 6 2016 to mark the 10th anniversary of Leanne’s death which we will be raising awareness for CRY, and local charity’s here in Portugal.

Myself and 4 friends are also embarking on the “London2Brighton 100km challenge” to raise money for C.R.Y. Non of us have ever done anything like this before but wanted to do something special for Leanne’s memory.

This memorial fund has been set up by the family to help CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) raise awareness of young sudden cardiac death, support those affected, support CRY’s screening programme and fund research and pathology.