Triumph over tragedy

In response to your health check article (CW January 3), sadly in May last year we lost our son to an undiagnosed heart condition. Charlie was an extremely healthy eight-year-old who collapsed whilst playing rounders at school. As you can imagine this turned our world upside down and while stumbling around looking for answers we came across CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young).

One of Charlie's favourite pastimes was cycling and at the time all I had was an old BMX and we would ride together for miles. On CRY's website I saw a sponsored bike ride to Paris, so I bought a commuter bike and got training and in September made it to Paris.

This inspired me to do more for such a worthy cause in Charlie's name, and this year me, my family and some friends are looking to cycle to Brittany to watch the Tour de France.

Please feel free to visit our fundraising website for Charlie; we are planning more fundraising events, including a children's bike ride around Brands Hatch race circuit to raise funds to have children tested, http://www.justgiving.com/tonyspalding;