Vicki Eagle, Founder, Poppys Light Foundation
What is the mission of your charity, and what inspired its creation?
When my daughter Poppy died suddenly in August 2024 from an undiagnosed inherited cardiac condition called CPVT (Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia), I was left with one devastating truth: her death was preventable.
Poppy was just 20 years old, vibrant, ambitious, and full of life. In February 2025, just months after losing her, I founded Poppy’s Light Foundation, a charity dedicated to raising awareness of inherited cardiac conditions (ICCs), improving access to screening, and helping prevent avoidable deaths through earlier diagnosis and intervention.
Inherited cardiac conditions affect around 1 in 200 young people and include a range of genetic heart disorders, many of which can be effectively managed, treated, and sometimes even cured when identified early. Yet awareness remains dangerously low, and when these conditions go undetected, the consequences can be fatal.
What are the biggest challenges your organisation faces in achieving its goals?
One of the greatest challenges is recognition of the warning signs. Many people still do not realise that fainting or seizures during, or soon after, exercise should always be treated as a cardiac red flag until proven otherwise. Too often, symptoms are misunderstood, dismissed, or attributed to less serious causes.
Another challenge is ensuring clinical pathways fully reflect the nature of inherited cardiac conditions. While ECGs are an important first-line investigation, some conditions, including CPVT, may not always be detected on a resting ECG alone. Clinical history and exercise-related symptoms should play a far greater role in decisions around referral for specialist inherited cardiac assessment.
Our work aligns closely with wider priorities around prevention, genomics, earlier diagnosis, and reducing avoidable deaths. We believe inherited cardiac conditions must become a far greater national health priority.
Can you share a success story that highlights the impact of your work?
Although the charity is still in its early stages, the impact of awareness is already becoming clear. The foundation’s work has contributed to urgent cardiology referrals for children experiencing fainting during exercise after families and schools recognised warning signs through our awareness campaigns.
For me, that demonstrates exactly why awareness matters. Early identification not only saves lives, but also enables family screening, genetic counselling, and proactive management for future generations.
How do you raise funds, and what are the most effective fundraising strategies you’ve used?
Community support and fundraising have been extraordinary. Earlier this year, our second charity ball raised £31,256 in support of the foundation’s work. We also launched the PLF Intrepid Expedition to Machu Picchu, where the “Magnificent 7” mountaineers, including Poppy’s dad Peter, her brother Ollie, radio personality Justin Lockwood, alongside friends and colleagues, took on the challenge to raise awareness and funds for the charity.
On Friday 17th July, we host our inaugural summer party at Beamish Hall, a favourite childhood venue of Poppy’s. These events are about far more than fundraising alone; they reflect the strength of community and the growing movement of people committed to ensuring inherited cardiac conditions receive the attention they deserve.
What role do volunteers play in your organisation, and how can people get involved?
Volunteers, supporters, families, schools, and local communities all play a vital role in helping the foundation grow. From fundraising events and awareness campaigns to school outreach and community engagement, the support we have received has been incredible.
People can get involved by supporting events, helping raise awareness, sharing information about inherited cardiac conditions, fundraising, or simply encouraging conversations around heart health and family history.
What partnerships or collaborations have been most beneficial to your mission?
Collaboration sits at the heart of our work. We are committed to working alongside specialist cardiac teams, healthcare professionals, public health experts, policymakers, schools, and government to drive meaningful change.
Real progress will only happen when inherited cardiac conditions are recognised as a major public health issue requiring coordinated national attention, prevention strategies, and earlier intervention.
What’s next for your charity? Any upcoming projects or long-term goals?
A major part of our campaigning work is calling for inherited cardiac conditions to be added to the newborn heel prick screening programme, commonly known as the Guthrie test. Advances in genomics and screening technology now create an opportunity to identify inherited cardiac conditions much earlier in life, potentially saving lives on a national scale.
Within the next year, we aim to open the UK’s first dedicated clinical hub focused specifically on inherited cardiac conditions, providing specialist screening, diagnosis, education, and family support. Longer term, the ambition is to expand into regional hubs and mobile outreach services for underserved communities.
Poppy’s death was preventable. With earlier detection, stronger awareness, improved referral pathways, and national screening strategies, we could significantly reduce the number of young people dying every week from undiagnosed cardiac conditions. These are avoidable tragedies; in many cases, they are preventable deaths.
www.poppyslightfoundation.com