ABOUT US
Mortal And Strong is the first and only charity to provide education and support for young people (18-60) facing their mortality - living with life changing or incurable health conditions. Delivering innovative health awareness campaigns, being medically-professional led and reforming how chronic health is addressed.
OUR VISION
An idea born of one doctor who faced both sides of the stethoscope...
Our vision is to bring communities of health together; providing education and support for anyone in the prime of their life affected by health. People experiencing life changing or incurable conditions. Medical-professional-led education, innovative campaigns putting a spotlight on health inequalities using art, working with Voices of lived experience.
EDUCATION
Providing medical-professional-led education online and with in-person events. Across all health conditions.
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SUPPORT
Delivering programmes of support pre-diagnosis, during treatment and post-diagnosis. Including palliative care. Our programmes are unique in design and informed by our research and work with individuals.
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ART FOR CHANGE
Using the power of art within our campaigns and projects to find a new way to communicate and resonate with new audiences. A unique approach that is already proving to 'make waves' (BBC).
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VOICES OF LIVED EXPERIENCE
Sharing stories from real Voices of lived experience. Sharing messages of hope, strength and ensuring our work is in direct response to those who matter.
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COLLABORATION
It is our mission to work with other charities and organisations to maximise outreach. Our Spotlight Charities programme is a way of raising awareness of other charities of specialist support.
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ADVOCACY
Providing guidance on how to help people advocate for themselves. Delivering programmes of information back to Healthcare Professionals and Employers to advocate on inequalities to encourage change.
02
INEQUALITIES
We believe it is not enough to just raise awareness of inequalities. We are constantly looking for ways to address these inequalities, by providing feedback to employers and the healthcare system.
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MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL LED
Ensuring our content is checked for quality, reliability and accuracy by medical professional led experience.
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INNOVATIVE CAMPAIGNS
Health campaigns that are unique in design and delivery. Bringing together the power of Voice & Art for the purpose of change.
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BRINGING
COMMUNITIES
TOGETHER
Providing equal support for anyone affected by any condition.
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How MAS came to be
Founded by Dr Liz Murray
An idea for using art to share messages of hope and strength began when Dr Liz Murray had her life turned upside down by multiple health conditions. After having to step away from clinical practice because of her health, Liz formed Mortal And Strong to utilise her professional experience and personal insight into health inequalities...
Founder
Dr Liz Murray
Dr Liz Murray was a medical doctor with a special interest in Emergency Medicine, working through the pandemic and winning an award for her academic work. After being a medical doctor for over 10 years, Liz experienced the other side of the stethoscope when she developed multiple conditions.
Liz experienced 6 miscarriages, had countless surgeries before being diagnosed with Stage 4 Endometriosis and Lupus SLE-related autoimmune disease. Left with organ damage from the delayed diagnosis, Liz felt the burden of ill-health take its toll after nearly going into cardiac arrest during surgery. Liz experienced the widespread impact of health first-hand and realised her unique insight as both patient and doctor could be utilised to instigate change.
Liz had built a large following as an artist and after using art to put a spotlight on health inequalities, began to win awards.
Seeing the value in using art to find a new way to communicate health issues, Liz founded the concept for the Scars of Gold campaign. Being unable to continue clinical work due to her health, and wanting to continue to help people, Liz formed the charity Mortal And Strong. Being passionate about bringing communities of health together, to allow a space for people with rarer conditions to find a mutual place of support with those with more prevalent conditions. Liz is striving to utilise her unique professional experience to start a multi-system level of change and support for people with chronic health conditions.
Our story so far
Finding The Perfect Team...
The Scars of Gold campaign is directed by Liz alongside photographer Sammy Weston. Sammy Weston is co-director of the campaigns alongside Dr Liz Murray. Together they have volunteered their time and skills to travel the UK to produce the first of many campaigns. A documentary capturing the rare, raw and honest insights into what people experience. Sammy and Liz have interviewed over 100 people for the first campaign, both managing the editing, content and production to make Scars of Gold the powerful campaign that BBC reported as 'making waves'.
