15 years on from Jamie Bucknell's death, his family continue to fundraise to help others

As many as 12 young people die in the UK each week from sudden cardiac arrest, and in many cases the first sign anything is seriously wrong is their sudden death.

It was the case for 14-year-old Jamie Bucknell, who on November 12, 2001 left his family home in Strensall and headed to Huntington School as usual.

Partway through an English lesson, the popular pupil collapsed and was unable to be revived, despite the attempts of staff, paramedics and doctors to save him.

Jamie's death from heart failure caused by a weak heart valve shattered all those who knew and loved the teenager. It even touched those who didn't know him, with an appeal led by the Evening Press raising the £7,500 needed to buy 12 portable heart monitors for York Hospital in less than three weeks. (His school friends are seen on a charity walk in his honour below in 2002).

He was among the scores of young people who die suddenly from a previously undiagnosed heart condition, 80 per cent of which will have no prior symptoms.

It's nearly 15-years on from his death, but Jamie is never far from the thoughts of his parents Keith and Debbie and sister Jodie.

"We still think about him all the time," Debbie said, "It has been 15 years but all the time you're thinking what would he be doing now? He could be married. Would he have children?

"He was absolutely full of life. He absolutely adored every sport there is. I'm not just saying as his mum, but when he walked into a room he lit up people's faces. He had loads of friends and he made everybody laugh all the time."

His sister Jodie (pictured below with her parents) was 12 when her brother died. Now 27, she feels ready to pick up the fundraising for Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) that was started by her parents.

"Jamie was my best friend, an amazing brother, son and friend," Jodie said, "He was loved by so many and the day he died devastated so many lives.

"During the time since Jamie passed our family received support and great help from CRY. For a long time I have wanted to raise money to help this amazing charity and after a lot of years I finally feel able to do this."

On Sunday, November 13, Jodie is holding a family fun day at Melodie Park in Wigginton Road to raise money for the charity in memory of Jamie, which is open to the public.

CRY believes that prevention is better than the cure in tackling cardiac risk in the young, through screening, which can identify heart problems.

While 80 per cent of victims will show no symptoms, this was not entirely the case for Jamie, who had collapsed twice before his death. His death could have been prevented had his heart problem have been picked up in a scan, Debbie said.

"The first time he collapsed he had been at a swimming pool and they said he must have banged his head," Debbie said, "The second time they did tests and said there was nothing wrong."

Through their work with CRY, friends and family of the Bucknells' had screening provided by the charity.

"They gave us fantastic support and they arranged for a screening programme for people we know to be screened to make sure their hearts were all okay," Debbie said, "Before it happened to us we had never ever heard of it. Then when it happened we couldn't believe how many people it happened to."

Dr Steve Cox, chief executive of Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), says: “It takes great courage and determination for anyone who has been affected by young sudden cardiac death to be able to see beyond their own situation and to want to raise funds for CRY – whether at the time of the tragedy or in their memory, many years later.

“Whatever the circumstances, I find it very humbling that despite their own terrible experience, bereaved families such as The Bucknell family still manage to find the strength to support us to try and prevent other people from the same catastrophic grief as they have endured following the sudden death of their son Jamie.

“Every week in the UK, 12 apparently fit and healthy young people (aged 35 and under) die suddenly from a previously undiagnosed heart condition. In 80 per cent of these cases there will have been no symptoms or warning signs which is why CRY believes that screening is so vitally important. Indeed, CRY’s pioneering screening programme now tests over 23,000 young people every year.

“Yet when Jamie died in 2001, we were only screening a few hundred young people a year and awareness of young sudden cardiac death was relatively low. But thanks to the amazing fundraising carried out by bereaved families across the UK, CRY is now making a huge impact in the ongoing campaign to prevent sudden cardiac death in young people – through both research and screening.”

“And, due to the involvement of world-leading cardiologist, Professor Sanjay Sharma, who devotes so much of his time to the supervision of our screening programme, CRY is able to offer a vastly subsidised service, which would cost hundreds of pounds in the private sector.

“There is little doubt that cardiac screening saves lives. I would like to offer my sincere thanks to the Bucknell family and their friends and their entire local community for their commitment to helping CRY, 15 years on from their own devastating loss.”

- For more information, go to: www.c-r-y.org.uk or to find out about a free heart screening in your area, please visit: www.testmyheart.org

- The CRY family fun day, will be held from 12pm to 4.30pm on Sunday, November 13, at Melodie Park in Wigginton Road.

There will be stalls, raffles, tombolas,face painting and a bouncy castle.

Prizes on offer include an F1 R factor experience in York Motor Sport, Sunday lunch for 2 at the Highway Man, a meal for two at El Gringas, cream tea for two at Tealious, portrait sittings and a free print from Pictures by Rob and Varneys, a helicopter ride from Heilds, a £250 voucher for fencing or decking from North Moor Fencing, a day pass from Piglets, a game of golf from Heworth Golf Club, a hamper from York Deli, a £40 voucher from Tattoos by Lee, a two night stay in a luxury lodge, a voucher from Strensall Fisheries, a £20 bouncy castle voucher from Bounce Around and a meal for two at Kennedys.

The event will be mostly indoors.

Tickets cost £1 each each and are available by emailing CRYfamilyfunday@outlook.com or can be bought on the day.