6 minute read
CRY Support
Support after a young sudden cardiac death: Walking in memory of a young person
CRY’s annual walks in London and Durham give families the opportunity to come together to remember young people who have died suddenly.
International opera star Kathryn Harries first had the idea for a walk in 2006, the year she became a CRY Patron. Then, on 7th July 2007, she completed a 32mile walk along the Thames path, heading across all of the bridges from Hampton Court to Tower Bridge on her way.
A week later on July 15th, Kathryn was joined by over 400 CRY supporters from all over the UK for another walk. This time, they walked for eight kilometres across eight bridges from Westminster to Tower Bridge. The eight bridges on the route signified the eight apparently fit and healthy young people dying every week from undiagnosed heart conditions, which was believed to be the figure at the time. (Now, of course, as CRY research has shown that this weekly figure is 12, the routes for the walk have expanded.)
This 2007 event became the first annual CRY Heart of London Bridges Walk. Without Kathryn’s initial idea, passion and involvement, it might not have begun – we will always be grateful for her support with this event.
In the years since, this has become CRY’s flagship event and the main occasion on our calendar each year. The number of walkers we’ve had attending has continued to increase, and as a result the event has continued to develop at new venues, with new routes, and new parts of the day including the CRY Family Picnic.
The time after the walk has become a chance to gather, eat, take part in activities and listen to music; alongside this we still have space for quieter moments of reflection, talking to our support team and a message wall for thoughts and memories.
“When you first walk in and see all the pictures of young adults on the big screen with messages from their families, you could feel the emotion. I realised that I’m not on my own. Everyone was so friendly. It made me realise how many families have also gone through the same thing and how important it is to create awareness”
Andrea Joyce in memory of Kieran Joyce.
“The first time is the hardest, but you will be strengthened in the company of others who understand how you feel. While none of us ever wanted to join the CRY community we are so grateful that they are there for us.”
Diana Hunt in memory of Matthew Hadfield.
“Really worth doing if you have recently lost a loved one to an undiagnosed heart condition… walking in solidarity with other families and realising you’re not the only one to go through such a loss, taken part twice and it helped me and my daughter a lot.”
Andrew & Caitlin Quew in memory of Gemma Quew.
The following is a re-print from CRY Founder Alison Cox MBE. Alison’s previous columns for the Update can be found here: www.c-r-y.org.uk/alisons-columns/
“It is significant that CRY’s Heart of London Bridges Walk has become such a massive feature in the CRY calendar that we start preparing for it immediately after the previous one has finished.
“The power of our families coming together for what has always been our most important and well attended event cannot be exaggerated. Knowing that they will have the opportunity of walking and talking with others similarly affected provides a secure blanket of relief that their catastrophic grief will be understood.
“A place where the vaccum of loss needs no explanation. Where tears will be commonplace. Being able to share the repercussions of the ‘new you’ that they have become allows an outpouring of the person they were. Now are.
“Being able to write a personal message on the massive CRY bereavement board and read the stories of others suffering like themselves, can relieve the pain.
“Coming to terms with the young sudden cardiac death of an apparently fit and healthy child, sibling, partner or friend can be catastrophic and impossible to understand. There is no logic or science of reasoning that can be applied. Death is instant, without warning.
“The brutality of the loss is best spoken of, and none better than to another with a similar situation to come to terms with, it needs no interpretation and the warmth of understanding each other can hugely help them to understand themselves.”
In addition to CRY’s flagship walks each year, some of CRY’s Representatives have set up their own Walk & Talk groups in London, Gloucestershire, Staffordshire and South Cheshire and most recently, Devon.
Walk & Talk is a small voluntary group, established by CRY Representatives Jeff and Sandra Markham, who meet once every two months. The walks are not for fundraising, or raising awareness, but just a social gathering for CRY families and CRY individuals to give the opportunity to meet with others who have been affected by a young sudden cardiac death.
The London Walk & Talk group is run by Sandra and Jeff Markham, with walks based around the London parks.
The Gloucestershire Walk & Talk group is run by CRY Representatives Linda and Geoff Goodwin, which are often based around the Severn River and canals.
The North Staffordshire and South Cheshire Walk & Talk group is run by CRY Representatives Dave and Sue Hughes.
The Devon Walk & Talk group is run by by CRY Representative Jenny Thomas.
