It is estimated that every week eight apparently healthy young people in the UK, aged between 14 and 35, drop dead from sudden heart failure.  The charity CRY supports the families of such victims and campaigns to provide screening for young people to detect previously undiagnosed heart problems.  Now, a talented 13-year-old schoolgirl from Essex has compiled a book of celebrities’ favourite inspirational quotations to help raise awareness of CRY, and the risk of sudden cardiac death in the young. 

When Julie Tanner was just five, Andy Gard, a 17-year-old friend of the family, died suddenly of heart failure, alone in his bedroom. 

Andy, who lived in Frinton, was a fit and healthy student, who had just taken his 'A' levels and was planning to go to university.  He was a keen hockey player, and was about to go for a game of tennis when his sister found him slumped on his bed.  For reasons that are still unknown, his heart had stopped.  It was two days before his 18^th birthday. 

Andy’s sudden and unexplained death affected Julie so deeply that she became involved with CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young), the charity which aims to raise awareness of and prevent Sudden Death Syndrome, as it is known, which kills up to eight young people a week in the UK.   

At seven, she began editing the children’s page of CRY’s magazine, writing jokes and compiling word searches.  She’s even interviewed major celebrities, including the charity’s honorary president Ian Botham, and Olympic champion rower Sir Steve Redgrave, a patron of CRY. 

But, last year, Julie (left), who is a pupil at Colchester County High School for Girls, decided to attempt a far more ambitious project.  She had the idea of compiling a book of celebrities’ favourite inspirational quotes, to be published to coincide with CRY’s tenth anniversary. 

Julie, who lives in Kirby-le-Soken, near Frinton, wrote to around 500 celebrities, including the Queen, the late Pope John Paul II, and Tony Blair, asking for quotes that have inspired them if life.  She got more than 100 replies, which she has now compiled into a book, entitled 101 Reasons To Get Up In The Morning. 

The book went on sale in November, and is selling incredibly well – almost exhausting its initial print run of 2,500 copies.  For Julie, it has been a fantastic achievement, and her school nominated her for last year’s Colchester Youth Award – but sadly, she was ineligible, as she didn’t live within the borough! 

Julie wrote to celebrities from all walks of life, from politicians to sportsmen.  Those who replied include Tony and Cherie Blair, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sir Michael Caine, Hugh Grant, Julie Walters and the late Sir John Mills.  Pope John Paul did not reply in person, but Julie was sent a kind letter from the Vatican, encouraging her in her enterprise and sending blessings to her family. 

“I’d have liked to have got the Queen, but she did send a lovely letter, as did other members of the Royal family, saying she couldn’t supply a quote, because of protocol,” says Julie. 

Julie was amazed by how much care some of the celebrities took to come up with a suitable quotation.  “You could tell some were really heartfelt,” she says, “Most did sound as if they’d really thought about them.  I was pleased about that because I didn’t want a load of quotes that didn’t mean anything.” 

It took her 14 months to write to the celebrities and receive replies.  It has taken a lot of hard work and commitment – on top of coping with homework demands – but Julie says it has all been worthwhile. 

“It’s been really exciting to come in after school and see what’s arrived,” she says.  “Every evening, I’d rush up to my bedroom and tear open the post.  Once I got ten quotes in one day!  Most of the celebrities took the trouble to write a personal letter, which I was really pleased about. 

“Val Biro, the children’s writer who created Gumdrop, drew a little caricature of himself inside Gumdrop, his own 1926 car, which was really sweet.  And Dave Pelzer, who wrote A Child Called ‘It’, sent me a copy of his book all the way from America.  He said he was so proud of the work I was doing to help others.” 

Some celebs came up with the same quotes, which made for some strange bedfellows. 

Former Ipswich Town captain Matt Holland and Noel Edmonds both plumped for: “The only places success comes before work is in a dictionary!” 

Ice-skating champion Jayne Torvill, Michael Howard MP and Doran Bryan all came up with, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference,” while actor Richard Briers, Sir Derek Jacobi, the late Sir John Mills, Val Biro and Honor Blackman all chose quotations from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. 

Surprisingly few of the quotations were overtly religious.  Only Sir Cliff Richard, children’s author Anne Fine and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams chose biblical quotations, although Delia Smith quoted a religious poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins, entitled God’s Grandeur. 

Other celebs looked to the pop world for inspiration.  Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson quoted Pink Floyd’s, Time, while Radio 2’s Jeremy Vine opted for Morrissey (“There’s more to life than books, but not much more”).  Actor Nigel Planer quoted John Lennon’s “Life is what happens while you’re making other plans,” while Sir Alan Ayckbourn went for Joan Baez: “You don’t get to choose how you’re going to die, or when.  You can only decide how you’re going to live.  Now.” 

Some contributors came up with the wonderfully quirky, off-the-wall quotes which score ten out of ten for originality. 

“I think the funniest and most unusual came from Gary Lineker,” says Julie.  “His quote was, ‘When Fate hands you a lemon, try to make lemonade’!”  Gold-winning Paralympic athlete, Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson quoted her grandfather: “Aim high, even if you hit a cabbage.”  Boris Johnson was inspired by his grandma, who told him, “Do remember, darling, it’s not how you’re doing, it’s what you’re doing.” 

One of the most moving quotations was a poem by Mary Frey, submitted by Tony Benn.  It reads:

“Do not stand at my grave and weep

I am not there, I do not sleep. 

I am a thousand winds that blow. 

I am the diamond glint on the snow.

I am sunlight on ripened grain,

I am the gentle autumn rain.  

When you awaken in the morning’s hush,

I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry

I am not there, I did not die.” 

Politicians, says Julie, were particularly keen to reply.  All three of the main party leaders sent in quotations, as did David Blunkett, Charles Clarke, Lord Coe and Tony Benn.  But her favourite of all is the quote sent in by Tony Blair.  In a hand-written letter, he quoted Sir Mat Busby: “Aim for the stars.  If you aim for the stars, you might have a chance of hitting the ceiling.  If you aim for the ceiling you might fall flat on your face.” 

His was one of the first replies Julie received.  His wife Cherie’s came in just before the deadline, several months later.  It read, “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” 

Many of the celebrities were approached through friends of friends, or supporters of CRY.  Julie thinks some of the letters she sent must have been to the wrong addresses, which may be one reason why some did not reply.  She was disappointed, however not to have been sent a quote from Harry Potter creator, JK Rowling.  “She sent me a letter saying she was too busy, which was a shame, because I’m such a fan,” says Julie.  

Some had to be literally tracked down by CRY supporters.  “Somebody said they thought Tanni Grey-Thompson lived in their area, so she and her husband just drove round the streets trying to find her house,” says Julie.  “Eventually they found her inside her garage, decorating.  They went up and asked her to give them a quote.  And she said ‘Yes’!” 

Julie’s aim in creating the book was not only to raise money and awareness of CRY and its work, but also to provide a book of uplifting quotes to bring comfort to the thousands of parents who lose their children, without warning, from heart failure.  Sudden Death Syndrome has been likened to cot death in babies, in that it strikes apparently healthy young people out of the blue.  Up to eight children and young adults, aged 14 to 35, drop dead every week in the UK from sudden cardiac arrest.   

Young athletes can be particularly vulnerable.  Sports presenter John Inverdale, who has also contributed to the book, had a friend, Howard English, who suddenly died in his arms during a rugby match, aged 32.  Then years later, history was tragically repeated when Howard’s son, Seb, also dropped dead playing rugby, at the age of just 15.  Howard’s genetic heart condition had not been diagnosed correctly in his post-mortem, so Seb was never tested. 

There are around 11 conditions which can lead to sudden cardiac death in the young, including inherited forms of heart muscle disorder and irregular heartbeat.  Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (excessive thickening of the heart muscle), is the most common of these conditions – research has shown that one in 500 people have it.  Some young people may experience fainting, dizziness, palpitations or chest pain, but often, they may have no symptoms at all. 

Andy Gard, Julie’s friend, was fit, sporty, and looking forward to going to university when he died eight years ago.  His mother, Caroline, is now an active supporter of CRY, and is the charity’s eastern division representative. 

“He was perfectly healthy,” says Caroline, who lives in Frinton with her husband Peter.  “He’d complained of feeling a bit nauseous that morning, which we’d put down to indigestion.  I just told him he shouldn’t have bolted down his food.” 

Andy returned from his summer job that afternoon.  It was a Sunday, and his parents were out playing tennis.  His younger sister Cathy was home when he came back from his summer job, grabbed some bread and butter, and went up to his room to get ready for a tennis match with a friend.

“He’d been up there for a while, and then another friend called round, and Cathy called up to him,” says Caroline.  “There was no reply, so they went up to his room, and found him slumped on the bed.” 

Paramedics were called, but could not revive him.  An autopsy revealed he’d probably had an earlier heart attack, which had resulted in heart failure. 

“The coroner queried whether he’d had a recent blow to the chest, but I’m sure he didn’t says Caroline.  “They couldn’t find a real reason for why this had happened.  We were screened, but no genetic abnormalities were found.” 

The shock of losing an apparently healthy child is horrendous.  “It’s devastating,” says Caroline.  “You can’t understand what’s happening.  It doesn’t seem real.  You associate heart problems with older people, or people who are unfit or obese.  But when it happens to someone who seems perfectly well, it’s very hard to accept.” 

Although many young people die on the sports field, when their hearts are under pressure, they can also die in their sleep.  “There seems to be no particular pattern,” says Caroline.  “Some parents who have lost children just go into their rooms in the morning, and find them dead.” 

Sometimes, heart failure can be caused by an extremely rare disorder.  Sometimes, the causes are never discovered. 

“A post-mortem may not be able to determine the precise cause of death, and the coroner will just put it down as natural causes,” says Caroline.  “An electrocardiogram test (ECG) would have been able to pick up any abnormality while the victim was alive, but once the heart has stopped beating, it cannot be detected.” 

CRY is campaigning for teenagers to be routinely screened in schools to check that they have no undetected heart problems.  Caroline has succeeded in setting up an ECG testing programme at Colchester General Hospital which can screen young adults aged between 14 and 35.  For £35, they are given an ECG, and fill in a questionnaire about their medical history, lifestyle and any health concerns they might have.  The ECG is then sent off to an expert cardiologist in London, who will check the ECG for any abnormalities. 

Caroline believes Colchester is the only hospital in the country where such a service is provided.  Although it’s run by CRY, rather than the NHS, it is staffed by Colchester hospital technicians, who are paid for their services.  “It’s a way of giving local people a chance to make sure their bodies are functioning properly,” says Caroline.  “After all, we give our cars a yearly MOT, so why not check out our hearts?” 

The clinic is held every other month on a Saturday morning at Colchester General, and can be used by anyone of the right age group, whether or not they live locally.  Anyone interested should contact Caroline on 01255 673598 for an appointment.  The next session will be held on January 14. 

Ideally, Caroline would like to see routine ECG screening being offered to young people by the NHS – particularly athletes. 

“In Italy, anyone taking part in organised sport is given a health check every year,” she says.  “In this country, some of the big sporting authorities now organise this, but only for elite athletes.  I’d like to see it for everybody.  The Government has so far resisted, I’m sure because of the cost and the demands on NHS resources.  But this would be genuine proactive, preventative health care, and would help save young lives, because treatment is available if a heart problem is detected.”  

With Caroline’s and Julie’s help, local awareness of Cardiac Risk in the Young is growing.  Julie has now attended four local book signings – one in Frinton, and three at her school. 

Julie, 13, has always wanted to be an author – she has written short stories ever since she was very young.  Now, having gained confidence compiling her book for CRY, she has already embarked on two novels.  “English is my favourite at school, and I’d love to be a children’s author one day,” she says.  “I’d like to write books for young adults, and perhaps for younger children too.” 

She will continue to work for CRY, however, and still edits the children’s page.  She was particularly touched when last, year, while she was handing out leaflets at a CRY stall in Colchester, a little girl called Chelsea came up and said how  much she liked Julie’s page. 

“She was about eight, and had lost her brother to sudden death syndrome, and she said she was an avid reader of the magazine and loved my page.  She said she particularly enjoyed the word search, so the next month, I put a little message at the bottom of the puzzle, just for her.” 

She truly hopes that families who have lost their children to sudden cardiac death will find hope and comfort from her book.  The contributions she particularly enjoyed include Tony Blair’s “Aim for the stars” quote, Ann Widdecombe’s “Carpe Diem”, and Pam Ayres’ “Oh to be half as wonderful as my children once thought I was, and only half as stupid as they think I am now!” 

And Julie too has found personal inspiration from compiling the book.  “It’s made me want to achieve my goals,” she says simply. 

One reply which meant a lot to Julie came from Ivan Henderson who was her MP until last year, and who has actively supported CRY.  “His baby had to be rushed to hospital soon after he was born, and while he and his wife were in Great Ormond Street Hospital, they saw this poem on a windowsill,” says Julie.  It is entitled Slow Dance. 

Have you every watched kids

On a merry-go-round?

Or listened to the rain

Slapping on the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly’s erratic flight?

Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

You’d better slow down

Don’t dance so fast

Time is short

The music won’t last. 

Do you run through each day on the fly?

When you ask, ‘How are you?’

Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done, do you lie in your bed

With the next hundred chores running through your head? 

You’d better slow down

Don’t dance so fast

Time is short

The music won’t last. 

Ever told your child, we’ll do it tomorrow?

And in your haste, not seen his sorrow?

Ever lost touch, let a good friendship die?

‘Cause you never had time to call and say ‘hi’? 

You’d better slow down

Don’t dance so fast

Times is short

The music won’t last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere

You miss half the fun of getting there

When you worry and hurry through your day

It’s like an unopened gift, thrown away. 

Life is not a race

Do take it slower

Hear the music

Before the song is over.

101 Reasons to Get Up In the Morning, by Julie Tanner, is available from book shops, or from Canterbury Press, price £7.99.  ISBN 1-85311-673-4. 

For information on the ECG screening clinic at Colchester, ring Caroline Gard on 01255 673598.  Contact CRY via their website at: www.c-r-y.org.uk