The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Shedding tears of joy at topping Impact 100 list
Amanda Kopel has campaigned tirelessly for a change in the law
Frank’s Law campaigner Amanda Kopel burst into tears when she heard she had topped the Courier Impact 100 list for 2017.
She said she was “on cloud nine” after a friend phoned her and asked: “Have you seen The Courier?”
“I was still in bed, half asleep, so no, I hadn’t,” she said.
“When she told me I was at No 1, I burst into tears – of joy, of course.
“And I know Frankie would have had a big smile on his face, too.”
When her husband Frank – a former Dundee United football legend – was diagnosed with dementia in 2009, Amanda became aware of a flaw in the care system.
Frank was only eligible for free personal care after he turned 65, which forced the couple to spend huge sums of money for six months of his illness.
Since his diagnosis, Amanda, 67, from Kirriemuir, has campaigned tirelessly for Frank’s Law – a law to extend free personal care to under-65s with degenerative conditions.
This eventually paid off in September this year when she was told Frank’s Law would come into force in April 2019, benefiting at least 9,000 people.
However, when she learned the Scottish Government planned to introduce the legislation in 2019 she vowed to have it brought forward to 2018.
Amanda said she had “no idea” she was being considered for Impact 100 2017, never mind taking the top spot.
“I’ve been on the Impact 100 list the past two years, but I never thought I’d ever be at number one – it’s a real shock.
“Every time something like this happens, I think of Frankie. I just want him to give me a big cuddle.
“He’s the one who deserves this – he fought with strength, dignity and courage.
“If that horrible disease hadn’t come to our doorstep we would have been enjoying life together.”
On Frank’s Law not being introduced until 2019, Amanda said she was “disappointed and frustrated”.
“There’s no reason it can’t be brought forward,” she said.
“People need help now – a lot of them won’t be around in 2019 and I’m not prepared to say, ‘hang on another 18 months’, because that’s cruel.
“In 2018, the battle will continue. “Frank’s Law is feasible and affordable in 2018. The fight will go on.”
At number two on this year’s Impact 100 was the team behind the engineering triumph that is the Queensferry Crossing and at number three was racehorse trainer Lucinda Cameron.
Dundee business leader Chris van der Kuyl took fourth spot, while Sara and Steven Edwards – the grieving parents of Coupar Angus tot Harlow Edwards – were at number five.
Amanda joins a list of previous winners which includes Lorraine Kelly, the Murray brothers Andy and Jamie, Gordon Brown and the Oor Wullie Bucket Trail team.