The boss of a national charity today told of her groups massive debt to a devoted Teesside couple.

In October 1996, Maralyn and Kenny Bowen's world fell apart when son Ian, 19, collapsed and died suddenly of a heart condition.

Rather than retreat from the tragedy, the Redcar couple have since raised a staggering £226,000 for the charity CRY - Cardiac Risk in the Young.

On CRY's behalf, Kenny has handwritten more than 1000 letters to trusts asking for cash and according to CRY's founder and Chief Executive,  Alison Cox, the Bowen's have kept CRY going.  "I don't know where we would be without them.  They have made an enormous difference to us.  The money Kenny has raised would be the envy of any charity, while Maralyn is wonderful at dealing with people" she said.

The Bowen's son Ian was a victim of Wolfe-Parkinson-White Syndrome, a rare condition caused by an extra electrical connection in the heart.

Maralyn and Kenny were determined some good should come out of tragedy, so they linked up with CRY and they fixed up local heart screenings for young people.

Through counselling, Maralyn has also been a pillar of strength for other parents.

Kenny thought it was time her selfless dedication was recognised, so he nominated Maralyn to be Evening Gazette Community Champion, but Maralyn says it's Kenny who should get the plaudits after raising an extraordinary £206,000 for CRY and that's on top of the £20,000 the duo have raised to fund local heart screenings in Ian's memory, with the next due early next year.

Modest Maralyn, says of Kenny:" Almost every night after work, he sits down religiously and handwrites to various Trusts, asking for money for CRY".

She says their desire to keep helping CRY is simple : "We don't want to think Ian died in vain".

Maralyn is currently phone counselling a Warrington woman who lost her son.

It's that personal touch combined with Kenny's fundraising, for which CRY boss Alison Cox is so grateful.

She said: "We recently had to move premises and without them we'd have been nowhere.  No accolade can be too great for them".

CRY raises awareness, organises screenings, funds research and offers support to young people - and their families- with cardiac conditions that could prove fatal if not diagnosed.

With permission from the Evening Gazette