Cheadle Lacrosse Club’s Joe McEwan, who recently survived a cardiac arrest while playing for Wilmslow in September 2023, is walking the length of New Zealand to raise money for Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY).
Joe is looking to raise a massive £23,900 for the charity to help them continue to raise awareness of the disease and to assist them in hosting screening days for young people.
Having begun the 3000km trek some 17 weeks ago on 11 October 2024 at the northern-most tip of the north island of New Zealand, Joe is 123 days into his walking challenge and has less than 40km to go before the finish.
So far, Joe has managed to raise almost £7,000 with the first £3,500 of that going towards CRY’s core funding (everything they do as a charity including raising awareness, screening for young people, support for families and individuals, as well as vital research).
All further donations (about £3,500 so far) will be ring-fenced specifically to fund screening days for young people.
According to CRY, 1 in 300 young people screened will be identified as having a potentially life-threatening cardiac condition with one screening day, which can screen up to 100 young people under the age of 35, costing £6,800.
Joe’s initial aim is to raise £10,300 which would cover the initial funding of CRY’s core functions as well as one screening day and any additional money after that would go towards further screening days.
Six young people under the age of 35 lose their life every week due to undiagnosed heart conditions and any money raised by CRY, and Joe during his challenge, will help towards screening individuals and raising awareness of cardiac risk in the young.
Thanks to the quick action of by-standers in 2023, Joe was successfully resuscitated and defibrillated and has made a full recovery and now has an internal defibrillator fitted.
England Lacrosse is right behind you, Joe, and we wish you all the best as you come to the end of your massive journey!
For more information about Joe, his story, and CRY, click HERE and simply click the button below to donate.