The first Cardiac Risk in the Young London Bridges Walk since 2019 took place on Sunday, June 26.
Around 650 walkers had registered for the five and a half mile walk over London’s Bridges.
Ten of the participants made up Team Tom 15 and we are extremely grateful to all those who walked this year.
The Glastonbury extension to Team Tom featured Ellen and friends …
CRY’s 16th annual Heart of London Bridges Walk will be held in two months’ time on Sunday, June 26. You can register here.
We’ll be taking part again as Team Tom XV, hoping to raise awareness of CRY’s work. Twelve young people a week aged 14-35 die of undiagnosed heart conditions.
It will be great to be back on the start line at Southwark Park after a couple of years of COVID induced “virtual walks” in our local area. Hope to see you there!
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The Andrew Carter Memorial Mile took place on Saturday, September 4, for the first time since lock-down and raised more than £900 for Tom and Claire’s Fund and Cardiac Risk in the Young.
About sixty runners took part in the event, commemorating Andrew’s life, in Lammas Park, Ealing. Andrew collapsed from a cardiac arrest during the Ealing Half Marathon and died on October 1, 2014.
Sandra Courtney, one of the Ealing Half Marathon organisers, said: “It was a lovely day. Colin, Joyce and James, Andrew’s parents and brother, were with us again along with more family, his friends and colleagues from AIB Bank and lots more runners who just wanted to support a great cause.”
The money raised supports heart screenings in Ealing sponsored by Tom and Claire’s Fund.
Paul Clabburn said: “We are enormously grateful to all those who ran and donated and to Andrew’s parents and family. They have raised thousands of pounds over the years and played a huge part in ensuring that free heart screenings for young people can take place in Ealing.
“We have been told by CRY that screenings can start again this year, after being halted for the pandemic, and we are planning for an event to be held on November 7. Details will be published on this site nearer the time. Anyone aged 14-35 can apply.”
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Heather Reid is a remarkable woman who has set herself an extraordinary challenge – to run 624 miles in tribute to all the young people who CRY say die suddenly from a ‘hidden’ heart condition every year in the UK.
Having lost her own 16-year-old daughter, Alex, in 2012, Heather has dedicated each mile of the final 120 miles to an individual who has died too soon. On Monday July 19, at our request, Heather ran in memory of Tom.
Heather said: “It was a privilege to run a mile in honour of Tom. Early on Monday morning I went for a very hot but beautiful run along the Chesterfield canal. It was a gorgeous morning and the birds were singing in full voice.
“The top photograph is where I paused after I had completed Tom’s mile in memory. It is Oneslide lock between a hamlet called Turner Wood and Shireoaks.
“It was so peaceful and a perfect place to take a few moments to think about Tom and also you, your family and friends.
“Throughout this year long challenge I have watched the seasons change. I have watched the trees turn, drop and become renewed again. I have observed this family of ducks hatch and grow.”
Later, Heather explained that she was approaching her penultimate week and added: “I can’t believe I am almost there now.”
Heather is from Thorpe Salvin, a village close to Rotherham, South Yorkshire. Since her daughter’s death, she and her husband John – supported by friends, family, the local community and Alex’s school and sporting friends – have raised awareness of young sudden cardiac death and the importance of screening and research.
We’re grateful beyond words that Heather included Tom in her endeavour and look forward to reading that she has successfully completed her trek. Bon voyage, Heather!
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We’ll be walking in memory of Tom and all those like him on Sunday, June 27.
We will set out in support of Cardiac Risk in the Young at 1100 from Kew Green. We’ll take a circular route via Chiswick and Kew Bridges, finishing back at Kew Green. It’s about three miles and takes an hour or so to complete.
While ensuring we are compliant with whatever COVID regulations are in place at the time, we’d love as many people as possible to join us. Let us know you’re coming by emailing thetomclabburnfund@gmail.com or by leaving a message on our Facebook page.
It’s the second year in succession, CRY has had to cancel its Heart of London Bridges Walk because of uncertainty caused by the COVID pandemic. CRY says: “We can’t wait to (virtually) walk with you this year. On 27th June, join us from wherever you are in the UK.” It’s the 15th year the walk has taken place.
If you want to register, do so here. You don’t have to but it gets you a T-shirt. Like many charities, CRY has struggled during COVID and needs to raise its profile again. A proudly worn tee will help to do just that.
If anyone needed reminding about the value of CRY’s work, a recent documentary on the BBC, “Sudden Adult Death: My Sister’s Silent Killer”, highlights the importance. It follows a brother’s search for answers after losing his 19-year-old sister to an undiagnosed heart condition. We’d urge anyone to watch but, be warned, the first couple of minutes, which replay the recorded call to emergency services, are particularly hard. It’s available on BBC iPlayer.
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CRY’s annual Great Cake Bake took place against the background of COVID restrictions.
Ellen Clabburn said: “Hayley and I decided to bake something to mark CRY’s raising awareness week (16-22 November) and the CRY Great Bake.
“Although fundraising is more of a challenge during lockdown, we can still raise awareness via social media.
“We feel that, without screenings this year, it is more important than ever to raise awareness of the 12 young people who die each week from undiagnosed heart conditions.”
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