Raising Money For Cardiac Risk In The Young (CRY) In Memory Of Leanne Brownhill

Our 24,000 bike ride was sparking interest in charity, so we decided to cycle the world in loving memory of my best friend, Leanne Brownhill who we sadly lost in 2013, aged 26.

Leanne tragically died in November 2013 of sudden cardiac death (SADS). Cardiac Risk in the Young (C-R-Y) were an incredible support to Leanne’s family and work hard to prevent young sudden cardiac deaths through awareness, screening and research, and supporting affected families.

Leanne’s condition was ARVC or arrhythmic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, one of the rarest forms of cardiomyopathy, it’s often not diagnosed until death as it’s very difficult to diagnose as it mimics cardiomyopathy.

Cardiomyopathy affects the heart muscle and in most cases it can be picked up in a scan. The condition is generally associated with the sudden collapse and death of young people and public awareness has been raised when sportsmen and women, who had always appeared fit and healthy, have collapsed during sporting events.

Lynne Brownhill, Leanne’s mother says that people are dying needlessly because there is no national screening programme. Lynne advocates C-R-Y, and is incredibly thankful for their support. This is why we are so happy to use our trip as an opportunity to raise money for a charity so trusted and valued.

This is undoubtably a trip of a life time, but it is also the toughest endurance challenge we will probably ever face. The trip is a self-supported 24,000 mile bike ride around the entire globe. We will, coincidently, cycle through 26 counties with our heavy loaded bikes. Over the Rocky Mountains we will climb 11,500 feet. There’s no doubt that we’re going to need to dig deep!

Please donate to this wonderful charity here

Post written by: Zoe Ashbridge