Tom’s birthday present for @CRY_UK

Today should have been Tom’s 28th birthday. We thought it would be good to mark the occasion with some positive news.

With CRY’s screening programme temporarily on hold, we’ve decided to support a project – a database – that the charity says will take its research programme to the next level and enable it to screen even more young people in the future.

Dr Steven Cox, CRY’s Chief Executive said: “Thank you to everyone who is supporting CRY in memory of Tom and Claire. This new research database is so important and we greatly appreciate the incredible support from Tom and Claire’s Memorial Fund to enable us to take this forward.”

Steve explained that due to the rapid expansion of CRY’s research and screening programmes, the charity needs a bespoke database to allow it to develop its vital work.

He said: “This will be a cloud-based system enabling CRY to build on the success of our screening and research programmes and develop worldwide collaborations between international partners.

“This is one of the most important projects that CRY needs to invest into in order to take our research programme to the next level. The new database will have a huge impact on the cost-effectiveness of our programmes. This system will enable CRY to screen even more young people, meaning we will identify more people with cardiac conditions and save more young lives.”

The database will cost in the region of £60,000. Tom and Claire’s Fund will pay fifty per cent towards the cost or £30,000, whichever is the greater.

Like Steve, we can only say “thank you” to everyone. Without people continuing to raise money for Tom and Claire’s Fund, we couldn’t help CRY in this way. As with every other charity, CRY faces challenges because of the pandemic and so, while we can’t screen, we thought it better to do something with the funds rather than leave them in a bank account.

We will be back screening in west London as soon as conditions allow. We have dates pencilled in for next year, 2022 and 2023.

Thanks again and keep safe.

Paul and Ellen x