As part of a series of charity events in memory of Dale Butler and to raise awareness of heart conditions, a group of five took part in a tandem sky on Sunday, 13th May at Hinton Skydiving Centre, Brackley in aid of Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY).

The Skydive for CRY 5, Deborah Goodwin, Alan George, David Oates, George Hale and Karl Griggs took to the skies at altitudes of up to 13,000 feet and on exit from the aeroplane travelled at speeds of up to 120 mph!!

The 5 were motivated to jump for the charity because their friend Angela Tenant-Butler lost her son Dale to Sudden Arythmic Death Syndrome (SADS) in December 2009. To further their cause, the 5’s friend Seamus Byrne, of Abbots Langley is currently awaiting a heart transplant. Although in his forties, had heart screening been available when he was younger then he may not be dependent on the Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) that is keeping him alive and well.

Angela Byrne who has been helping the 5 to arrange the event said:

“This group of 5 are incredibly brave and have overcome fears to take part in this jump. They have worked hard to raise a lot of money and have chosen the Tandem Skydive as it was the most cost effective way of ensuring that more of the money raised goes directly to CRY to support them in their work of offering heart screening to young people”

“The work of CRY is particularly relevant to me as my brother Seamus Byrne is currently awaiting a heart transplant. Seamus is alive and well today thanks to the Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) fitted in 2009 which has replaced the function of his failing heart. Although in his forties, who knows if heart screening had been available to him earlier in life what measures could have been taken to prolong his health”