Two business owners from Sandbach who lost their son to a previoulsy unknown heart condition continued trying “to make good out of a tragedy” with a charity golf day.
A memorial fund for seven-year-old Patryk Milner, who died suddenly in 2020, has so far raised more than £51,000.
Following a successful heart-screening event in June, organised by Coun Ann Nevitt, which saw more than 200 young people from Sandbach between the ages of 14 and 35 have their hearts checked, Patryk’s parents Andy and Aggie Milner have turned their attention to helping raise funds for the next event.
The couple, who run Symphony Hospitality Catering at Sandbach Rugby Club, were raising money for the Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) charity, which facilitates the screenings.
Mr Milner said: “Even though it wasn’t proven that our son died from a heart defect, it was something similar.
“We thought we’d give money to CRY this year because it’s local, and we know that every £75 raised goes towards testing one young person for undiagnosed heart defects.”
Money raised for the Patryk Memorial Fund has helped the club to host sports camps in the summer, build a path around the rugby pitch and construct a park in the club’s grounds for the community to use.
Sandbach Rugby Union Football Club raised £2,350 for CRY on a memorial golf day earlier this month.
“It’s good because we know that money has gone directly to CRY,” said Mr Milner.
“We’re hopefully planning a celebrity chef night for some time next year, and the funds from that will also go to CRY.”
“We’re just trying to make good out of tragedy; losing a seven year old was unreal.”
Coun Nevitt said: “The funds raised will enable us to bring screening to Sandbach again next year. Each screening event costs £14,000 to put on, so every pound raised helps.
“Having run a screening event earlier this year, it doesn’t seem right to just stop at one, so we’ve booked another for next year.”
She said the next event was planned to take place at Ashfields Medical Centre on 22nd and 23rd May next year.
