Every week in the UK at least 12 apparently fit and healthy young people die of undiagnosed cardiac conditions.

With your donation, CRY can reduce the frequency of young sudden cardiac death (YSCD) by working with cardiologists and family doctors to establish good practice and appropriate screening facilities to promote and protect the cardiac health of our young.

By supporting CRY you will help save young lives from these potentially fatal cardiac conditions.

See how your support can help by visiting www.c-r-y.org.uk

and more personally: I have been trying to write this for a lot of weeks now and just couldn’t get myself to do it. Firstly because I just wasn’t convinced I was actually going to tell the world I was going to try to do the London marathon (as my boss tells me I’m built for running through walls not 26 miles) and secondly because it’s so deeply personal and sharing that doesn’t come naturally. But here goes, I am going to be on the start line next Sunday at the London marathon (no promises on the finish line) and running in memory and honour of my son Toby. Toby passed away, age 30 in September 2020 when his heart just stopped. We still don’t know why, despite every test under the sun. Before this happened if you had asked me how hard that would be to deal with I couldn’t have even imagined 5 percent of the pain it caused and the total implosion of our lives. Toby was imperfect like all of us but he was the kindest, most caring man and would have been the one I turned to at a time like that, he had for so long been my confidante and friend, so much more than my son. When this happened I talked about doing all sorts of things in his memory but they just didn’t feel right and in truth I wasn’t emotionally strong enough to do them. I am not sure I am even now, this keyboard is full of tears at the moment. However, I’ve done it now and said I am running (or maybe walking) the marathon, in honour of him and with his spirit with me. I have followed the training plan, done the long runs, had the injuries and illnesses, and I intend to be there next Sunday at 11 am on the start line. I always feel awkward about asking for money as I know everyone has their own stories and charities but I’m going to ask. If you would support me by giving to CRY I would be so grateful. Cardiac Risk in the Young provide testing for young people and bereavement support. I rang them after Toby passed and nobody came back to me, I was lucky I could afford to go find support (thank you Karen Levy) but others aren’t. CRY is a small charity and I assume they just didn’t have the bandwidth so if me doing this, for Toby, could help others that’s got to be a positive.