Walking for Awareness: April and Laura Take on the Aberdeen Kiltwalk

Their mission was simple: raise awareness of a condition that changed April's family forever and support The Patient Charity that helps people affected by Aortic Dissection.

In early 2025, April's husband Stuart experienced an Aortic Dissection, a life-threatening condition that requires urgent diagnosis and treatment. Thanks to the prompt actions of colleagues, paramedics and the specialist teams at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Stuart survived.

Reflecting on his experience, Stuart recently wrote:

"It's a little-known condition that can be devastating for those affected and their families. I was fortunate to escape my own brush with the condition relatively unscathed, thanks to the prompt actions of my colleagues, paramedics, and the incredible medical teams in the cardiac wards at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary."

He added:

"Thanks to them — and the ongoing support of my family, friends, colleagues, and employer — I'm still here and enjoying life."

Wanting to give something back and help raise awareness of Aortic Dissection, April and Laura signed up for the Aberdeen Kiltwalk and chose to support Aortic Dissection Awareness UK & Ireland.

The pair walked proudly in ADA UK&I and THINK AORTA shirts, helping to start conversations about a condition that remains unfamiliar to many people despite being one of the most serious cardiovascular emergencies.  The response has been incredible.

At the time of writing, April and Laura have smashed their original fundraising target. Every donation will help ADA UK&I continue supporting patients, families and healthcare professionals through education, awareness campaigns, patient resources and peer support programmes.

We are incredibly grateful to April and Laura for their commitment, enthusiasm and generosity, and to everyone who has supported their fundraising efforts.

Their story is a reminder that behind every aortic dissection statistic is a family whose life changed in an instant. It is also a reminder of the power of community, and how survivors, families and supporters can help create something positive from an incredibly difficult experience.

From everyone at ADA UK&I, thank you April and Laura, and congratulations on an outstanding achievement.

If you would like to support their fundraising campaign, you can visit their JustGiving page here:

https://www.justgiving.com/page/april-laura-13

Together, we can continue raising awareness of aortic dissection and supporting those whose lives have been affected by it.