I decided to run for CRY in the 2004 London marathon, having experienced the sadness and loss of our dear friends’ son, Alessandro. The training was hard at times however the thought that I could help to raise money for research into Sudden Cardiac Death Syndrome made it really worth while.

The actual race was a very emotional experience and I enjoyed every mile of it! With the generous help of Alessandro’s family and friends from Italy and the fundraising here in England I was able to raise over £1800.

There follows a letter from the parents of Alessandro Testardi, who died in 2003, which encouraged me to run for CRY in the 2004 London Marathon.

Alessandro Testardi was born in Rome on 4th February 1987. Throughout his early childhood he enjoyed swimming, and at the age of 6 and ½ he joined the “Monterotondo” football club near Rome. During this time he managed to combine successfully his studies and love for football, and apart from the usual growth sicknesses typical of a boy of this age (e.g. chickenpox.) his health was good.

At the age of 14, during a routine health check he was diagnosed with a light cardiac arrhythmia. Since then his health was continuously monitored by a team of doctors at the “Paediatric Hospital, Medicina Sportiva Bambino Gesu” in Rome.

Following the ECG and various tests, Alessandro was diagnosed with an “aritmia ipercinetica” which would disappear under stress when his heart beat reached 120. Alessandro’s heart, under physical stress, was performing in a perfect manner, with maximum heart rate of 161, and 45 at rest. He was a true athlete, who played the right back position in his football team and was also much admired for his ability to run.

His medical condition was not causing problems, and soon many Italian football clubs of the 1st and 2nd Division – including Sampdoria, Lazio, Livorno and Juventus – demonstrated an interest in his abilities.

After 6 tests with Juventus, he was finally signed, and in June 2003 he would have moved to Turin to start his football career.

Sadly his dream was never to become true.

On the 19th of April 2003, Holy Saturday, while playing football in a federal tournament, he collapsed on the ground to the despair of his father who was then watching the match.

Rosemary Castle

A doctor who was also present tried desperately to resuscitate him.

Alessandro was a talented athlete, a well liked and much loved young boy, and his funeral was attended by hundreds of people. The event was also reported in local and national papers.

Alessandro’s heart was examined, after his death, by Prof. Gallo Anatomo-Patologo of the University of Rome and subsequently by a team of researchers of the University of Padova, who are studying the reasons for the sudden death in young people.

It emerged, after a thorough investigation, that Alessandro had contracted a virus 2 weeks before he died and the final diagnosis was Miocardite Fulminate.

Con stima ed affetto Pasquale Maria Pia e Francesca Testardi

Alessandro’s parent wishes to thank the support that CRY gives to families who like them have experienced a loss, and the effort that CRY is making in promoting research to prevent similar deaths in young people.