The mother of a teenager who died suddenly from a heart condition has praised family and friends after a summer of fund-raising in his memory.
Fund-raisers have helped collect £9,000 in memory of Nathan Butler who died at the age of 16 after being struck down by an undiagnosed heart defect in February.
Since his death the family, who live in Wolstanton, have campaigned to raise awareness of the Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) charity.
And Nathan’s dad Philip, a builder, is planning to rebuild a stand at Porthill Cricket Club – which was Nathan’s second home – in his memory.
Friends and family have taken part in various events over the summer to help the family achieve their goals, including the Potters Arf Marathon, a David Blaine-style stunt and a sponsored slim. Together they have helped raise £9,000 to be shared between CRY and the cricket club stand project, which Mr Butler hopes to complete for the beginning of next season.
Mrs Butler, aged 47, said: “People keep asking how much we’ve raised and I just want to acknowledge everyone. They’ve worked so hard and been so generous.”
Mrs Butler added that the cash raised will help CRY raise awareness about heart conditions like Nathan’s.
She said: “Eight children die every week like Nathan.
“CRY is campaigning to get children screened so they can pick up any heart conditions up.
“In other countries kids cannot play sport until they’ve had this done.”
She added: “CRY gave us lots of support and advice after Nathan died.”
Mrs Butler said Nathan’s friends and family had made a huge effort to raise money in his memory.
More than 60 of them took part in the Potters Arf Marathon in June, raising around £8,000.
And in July family friend Mark Pedley did his bit by sealing himself in a Perspex box at Porthill Cricket Club in a David Blaine-style stunt.
In the same month, Nathan’s granddad held a garden party and teachers from his junior and senior schools, St Wulstan’s and St John Fisher, took part in a charity football match.
Staff at Blackfriars Special School, where Mrs butler’s sister works, organised a sponsored walk, and Nathan’s friend Matthew Cheadle let fellow Porthill Cricket club members shave off his long ginger locks in return for donations.
Mark Fallon, licensee at the Oxford Arms pub in May Bank, donated the proceeds from his annual charity football match to CRY, and Newcastle professional golfer Simon Wakefield has adopted the charity to support all year.
And Mrs Butler’s close friend Stephanie Cartledge is losing pounds to raise cash by doing a sponsored slim until December.
Mrs Butler said everyone’s efforts could help save young lives.
She said: “If we can help raise awareness about CRY then we could save other children.”
