The sun shone as runners taking part in the annual Andrew Carter Memorial Mile raised more than £425 for Tom and Claire’s Fund and Cardiac Risk in the Young.
The run is held annually in memory of Andrew Carter, who died aged 33 after suffering a cardiac arrest during the 2014 Ealing Half Marathon. The money raised supports heart screenings in Ealing sponsored by Tom and Claire’s Fund.
Sandra Courtney, one of the Ealing Half Marathon organisers, said: “Thanks to all the runners, joggers, walkers and volunteers who supported Ealing Half Marathon’s Andrew Carter Memorial Mile this September. Once again we had a beautiful morning in Lammas Park. We were joined by Andrew’s family and friends as well as others who wanted to take part.”
Paul Clabburn said: “We really appreciate that year after year people run in Andrew’s memory to raise money for CRY. We are also extremely grateful to Andrew’s parents for their ongoing commitment to the charity. We will hold more free heart screenings for young people in Ealing in November and we can only do so because of the efforts of all those taking part in events such as these.”
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!
Tom and Claire’s Fund raises money primarily to support free heart screening for young people. But we can’t hold screenings if there aren’t enough doctors to carry out the tests. Nor can any other CRY family.
Therefore, after discussions with CRY, we have decided to donate £20,000 towards funding the research doctors who review the ECG results of every young person tested. It’s not the first time we’re supported CRY’s research programme. Back in 2016 we bought an echocardiogram and made a donation.
We want CRY to be able to carry out as many screenings as possible where-ever they are needed in the UK and so making the donation with the money you have raised feels the right thing to do. A huge backlog has built up after the pandemic halted testing.
CRY’s chief Executive, Dr Steven Cox explains more:
“Thank you to all the supporters of Tom and Claire’s memorial fund for once again making a fantastic donation to CRY’s research programme.
“It is great news that CRY’s screening programme has restarted, and we are so pleased we have been able to hold a screening in memory of Tom and Claire at the Olympic Pavilion at Trailfinders Sports Club in Vallis Way earlier this month.
“Whilst it is brilliant to see young people being tested again, one of our most pressing challenges as a charity is to re-establish the CRY medical team after the massive impact Covid has had on our fundraising over the last 18 months.
“Funding research at CRY means funding the CRY research doctors which have the key role in the screening programme, evaluating the symptoms and reviewing the ECGs of every young person we test. Quite simply, the more doctors we are able to fund, the more young people we can screen. We urgently need to appoint more doctors so we can start to respond to the incredible demand we have for screening, with more than 50,000 young people now on a waiting list waiting to be tested.
“This support for research in memory of Tom and Claire has meant we can start the process of recruiting more doctors to get the screening programme back on track and help to save many more young lives. Thank you for all your support.”
Left to right: Ellen with Trailfinders Operations Manager Reuben Hill, Trailfinders youth rugby chair Phil Regan and members of the CRY screening team.
More than 80 young people had their hearts tested by CRY on Sunday at the first Tom and Claire’s Fund free screenings since 2019.
CRY had to halt all screenings during lockdown and has only recently restarted. Numbers attending were limited because of COVID restrictions but CRY were able to screen 83 people aged between 14-35. Five people were referred for further tests.
The event took place at a new location for us, the Olympic Pavilion at Trailfinders Sports Club in Vallis Way, Ealing.
Paul Clabburn said: “We really appreciate the effort Trailfinders put into hosting the event. Operations manager Reuben Hill was instrumental in making the day happen, from initially showing us around the facilities to making sure that everything was in order on the day. Trailfinders are a community focussed club and we hope this will be the first of many screening events we hold with them.
“We are also extremely grateful to the brilliant CRY team who were as friendly and professional as ever and managed to screen far more people than we expected. We also want to thank anyone who has donated to our Fund. None of this could happen without people putting their hands in their pockets.”
Members of the CRY team inside Trailfinders Olympic Pavilion.
On the eve of the anniversary of Tom’s death aged 14 from an undiagnosed heart condition, we are delighted to say that free Cardiac Risk in the Young screenings , sponsored by Tom and Claire’s Fund, will begin again in Ealing.
We are at a new venue, Trailfinders Sports Club, and the heart screenings will take place on Sunday, November 7. They are open to all aged between 14-35. If you have any questions, please contact CRY, not the club.
Paul Clabburn said: “The screenings are a vital part of Tom’s legacy and we are so pleased that they can restart after being halted by the pandemic. We are incredibly grateful to Trailfinders for making their facilities available and to all those who have continued to donate to the Fund. We couldn’t do it without you.”
Gathering at the start of the 2021 Andrew Carter Memorial Mile.
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.”
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.”
Picture by Heather Reid.
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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