Kavi Luchowa raised more than three times his target amount for CRY when running in memory of Tom at the Ealing Half-Marathon.
Having aimed to raise £300, Kavi’s total currently stands at more than £1,000. There’s also the promise of more to come with his employer, Smartodds, having said they will match the amount raised up to £1,000.
Kavi, a friend and teammate of Tom’s when they played together for Hanwell Town, said: “It was really great to take part and the support of the crowd and volunteers on the way around was incredible.
“It was topped off by raising a lot more than I expected – I will definitely be running again next year despite my legs being in pain!”
Two of Kavi’s sisters, Tara and Surya, also took part to raise awareness for CRY.
Ellen Clabburn said: “It was a fantastic atmosphere and I managed to spot Kavi in the last mile as he sped past. He did brilliantly and didn’t even seem to be out of breath at the end!
“We’re so grateful to Kavi and his sisters for taking part and promoting CRY, it’s a wonderful effort.”
At least 1,200 people took part in CRY’s Heart of London Bridges Walk on Sunday, June 23, the biggest turnout since before the pandemic.
Team Tom walked for the seventeenth time and it was wonderful to see how many people participated in Tom and Claire’s memory. Some had travelled long distances to be there.
“We’ve walked every year that there’s been a CRY Bridges Walk since 2008,” said Paul Clabburn. “To be joined by such a large group after so many years was inspiring. Ellen and I would like to say a huge thanks to all who took part. It really is appreciated.”
This year’s Cardiac Risk in the Young Heart of London Bridges Walk takes place on Sunday, 23rd June, 2024.
The event starts in Southwark Park and passes twelve London landmarks along its route, highlighting the twelve young people who die every week from Sudden Cardiac Death.
It’ll be the seventeenth year Team Tom has walked and we would love to see you there. You don’t have to raise money to take part, raising awareness is just as important!
Two sides of CRY featured over a couple of days in late April – the London Marathon and the “One Voice, Many Hearts” round table at Westminster.
Firstly, huge thanks to Jane Kinghorn for having the motivation and resilience to complete the marathon in memory of Claire. Jane teamed up with Stephanie Marshall and, at time of writing, the pair had raised more than £6,700 for CRY funds, more than double the amount they aimed for. Thanks to everyone who supported them.
Secondly, Hilary Nicholls found strength of a different kind to set up a round table in parliament less than a year after losing her 20-year-old daughter, Clarissa, to an undiagnosed cardiac condition.
The event, hosted by Carolyn Harris MP, who lost a child of her own in a road accident, brought together those interested in trying to reduce the incidence of Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) in Britain. As Ms Harris pointed out, parliamentarians were more likely to listen if those arguing the case spoke with one voice on the issue. There’s not a competition between more screening or extra defibrillators or increased CPR training. All are needed to save the maximum number of lives.
The event concluded with open questions to a panel including CRY’s Chief Executive, Dr Steve Cox. Many CRY families were at the event and their stories were harrowing. It was good to see a large number of MPs dropping by to listen to the discussion, including mine, Ruth Cadbury.
It is appalling that, so many years after Tom’s death, young lives, like Clarissa’s, are still being lost. I can only hope that events such as this will help to bring closer a day when losing more than six hundred young people a year to cardiac conditions that are largely treatable is no longer acceptable.
Jane Kinghorn will be putting the slogan to the test at this year’s London Marathon – albeit she does have a very good reason for taking part.
Here, in Jane’s own words, is why she will be attempting her first marathon and raising money for CRY’s general funds:
“I’m sure I’m just one of many to say I feel lucky to have been able to call Claire a friend. I met her at the BBC just after Tom had died. We moved from colleagues to chums – and what a friend she was. Her energy and her wit unmatched. Looking out for me – when her plate was already full. That’s why I ran the Great North Run for Tom and why I’m attempting London for them both. A good friend said Claire would be laughing out loud at the thought of me running London and with good reason. 61 is an odd age to attempt your first and last marathon, especially when you haven’t run for a decade. She’s worth every step. We won’t be breaking any records – we’re just hoping to cross the line before everyone packs up for home – then we can toast a glorious friend.”
Jane and her pal, Stephanie, are both running for CRY. You can read the full story about why – and sponsor them – here.
Some of CRY’s screening team at Trailfinders Sports Club.
One hundred young people aged between 14-35 had their hearts screened for free by Cardiac Risk in the Young in Ealing on Sunday, 4th February. Seven people were referred for further tests.
The event, hosted for the third year in a row by Trailfinders Sports Club in Vallis Way, was sponsored by Tom and Claire’s Fund.
“We’re very grateful to all those who have donated and enabled the screenings to take place,” said Paul Clabburn. “As ever, we are also indebted to Trailfinders for their support and to the CRY team who do such an amazing job.”
Further screenings in Ealing are planned for 2025.
UPDATE: As of this evening, Tuesday December 19, the screenings are fully booked
Our free CRY heart screenings for young people aged between 14 and 35 will be held at Trailfinders Sports Club in Ealing on Sunday, 4th February, 2024.
Booking opens on CRY’s site here tomorrow, Tuesday 19th December, from 3pm. Please note that in recent years the event, sponsored by Tom and Claire’s Fund, has been fully booked within 24 hours.
We are very grateful to Trailfinders for once more hosting the screenings.
If you have any queries, please contact CRY here rather than us or Trailfinders.
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