RESPONSE TO JAN MOIR's DAILY MAIL ARTICLE

by Rob McAvoy
Director, SportTrades

Jan Moir of the Daily Mail has written an article regarding the death of Mr Gately. It is the aim of any columnist to achieve a response, which Jan Moir has certainly done. Her views are not shared by SportTrades and many others, however, this is not the purpose of this posting. The death of Mr Gately at such a young age is a tragedy, our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.

Within the article by Jan Moir, she claimed of her uncertainty surrounding the causes of Mr Gatelys death. She claims that she finds it hard to accept that a fit young man, should put on his pyjamas and collapse on the sofa and die. I would hope, that during the anger displayed over comments within Jan Moir column, that she is advised to visit the C.R.Y (Cardiac Risk in the Young) website. She will find endless examples of young fit people, full of life, simply just pass away without warning. She will read the heartbreaking stories of families who are coming to terms with their loss through the fantastic work of CRY and in return throw themselves into fundraising for the charity.

The charity have many sporting patrons who have experienced the death of friends at young ages. John Inverdale, Sir Ian Botham and Rob Andrew to name a few. Andy Scott, the Brentford FC manager who had to retire from playing due to heart disease, is also a patron. The charity campaigns to raise funding for equipment to check for heart defects within young people. Early detection means prevention. The majority of the experiences chronicled on the website are of young people who enjoy sport and are fit. C.R.Y are also active in counselling for the bereaved, research and much more.

I am lucky. I played Football and Rugby in my younger days, towards the end of my playing days it became more difficult. I linked it to work commitments and my social life getting in the way of any fitness regime. At the age of 30 I had an Aortic Valve replacement, amazingly the problem was picked up on an routine insurance medical. I could so easily have been a statistic.

I urge everybody to visit http://www.c-r-y.org.uk/, read the experiences shared on the site, support the charity and advise Jan Moir that fit young people do die without warning or without reason. I understand Marks and Spencers and a number of other businesses have removed their adverts from the web page the article appears on. It would be great for the Daily Mail to donate the money received for those adverts to CRY.