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Young cyclist's death leads dad and best mate on incredible journey

"We go to the dentist every six months, we go to the optician every two years - so why don't we get our hearts checked more regularly?”...

Keith Forsyth, 50, and Hamish Carrick, 22, of East Lothian, have set off on their own cycling version of the National Three Peaks challenge in memory of Keith's son Ben Forsyth. 

British Youth Champion Ben Forsyth, 20, of Musselburgh, died after developing a heart condition. 

The pair’s journey will see them climb the highest peaks in Scotland (Ben Nevis), England (Scafell Pike) and Wales (Snowdon). The twist is that they will be cycling from mountain to mountain. 

In total, it involves 23 miles of walking and over 440 miles of cycling - and they are planning to complete it in under 48 hours.

The challenge is set to raise money for Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY).

Speaking to STV, Keith said: "I couldn't have asked for a better son." 

"He was fantastic. Not just a son, but my best mate. 

"We did a lot together. We rode bikes together, raced in teams together, if I wasn't in the pits supporting him, he was in the pits supporting me at races.”

Hamish, who initially came up with the idea, said: "I started riding bikes with Ben years ago.

"I always remember riding in the Lammermuir Hills on these savage, crazy, wintry rides and just going through it together.

Hamish and Ben

"From that it just snowballed into this really good friendship. 

"He was really supportive, and we were always there for each other, egging each other on and getting a bit competitive up the hills.

"But he was also such a laugh. I just can't think of a time when he wasn't smiling. 

"He was always bubbly and fun to be around."

Three Peaks cyclists

Writing on the their donations page, Hamish said: "Ben meant a lot of different things to a lot of different people - to me this challenge has been inspired by memories of his determination, sense of adventure and his love and support of other people."

Ben, who studied geography at Edinburgh University, was a British Youth Champion cyclist who had won multiple Scottish titles and a British title during his career.

He was eventually forced to give up racing after an MRI scan revealed he had arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) - a progressive and incurable disease of the heart muscles

Keith and Hamish are hoping to raise enough money to enable CRY to hold a cardiac screening open to the public.

Keith said: "Screenings are a life-saving opportunity for people to have their hearts checked.

"Twelve young people in the UK die every week of a sudden cardiac death.

"We go to the dentist every six months, we go to the optician every two years - so why don't we get our hearts checked more regularly?”

The journey began very early on the 12th July with the ascent of Snowdon, before riding 190 miles to Scarfell Pike and climbing the 978m to the top of Englands highest mountain at the end of the day.

From there, it is another 260 miles to Ben Nevis which they are planning on climbing on the 13th July.

They are currently racing past Glasgow and look well on their way to completing the challenge in time. 

They have already raised nearly £4,000 for the charity.  

When they were interviewed by STV, both men looked (understandably) nervous about the depth of the challenge, but they were confident their reason for riding would get them through. 

Hamish said: "We know why we're doing it and I'll have that in my head the whole time.

"Raising money for CRY and for more cardiac screenings - that's what we're doing it for."

Keith added: "After losing Ben, it's been a year from hell, really.

 

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"But we really want to turn a negative into a positive and raise money for Cardiac Risk in the Young. 

"The support from Ben's friends and family has been phenomenal and for every £5000 raised for Ben's memorial fund, I can organise another CRY screening day".

To sponsor Hamish and Keith, click here - and you can track their progress here.

 

 

 

 

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4 comments

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Batchy | 4 years ago
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Arithmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is a rare condition that is usually inherited  mainly,but not exclusively, through the male line. So genetic screening is also important for close relatives, offspring siblings etc. However this condition/disease is now being diagnosed in older endurance athletes without obvious genetic defects giving rise to the assumption that  it could also be aquired though years of intense training.  Some recent evidence supports the fact that heart block can be a precursor to the on set of ARVC. Many athletes/ cyclists are riding around with pacemakers that control heart block and they need to take care and pay attention in this regard. I was diagnosed with ARVC two and a half years ago when I was 67.  It is not particularly  enjoyable being defibrillated back to life without sedation. I know this from experience ( twice) whilst out cycling.

Most SCDs from Cardiomyopathies (of which ARVC is a rarer one) occur in young seemingly fit and healthy people engaging  in vigorous sport or excercise and it is essential that Defibrillaters are on hand at all sports facillities.  Though this won't help much if you are up Buttertubs 40miles in on training ride.

There is a great book that should be read by all endurance athletes titled The Haywire Heart by Chris Case, John Madrola MD and Lennard Zinn published by Velo Press. 

Having had to give up cycling and any prolonged vigorous excercise I consider myself to be a lucky man to still be alive. I have an Implanted Cardio Defbrillater (ICD) that monitors my heart and take Beta Blockers.  

I sure do miss cycling though !

 

 

 

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brooksby | 4 years ago
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...because the govt wants us to get checked for all these things, but won't provide funding so GPs don't have time or money to actually do it?

Need mental health support? Fine, but you'll need to go private.

Had a cough for more than x weeks? Go see a GP "Oh don't bother me with that - its just a cough!" Etc etc.

Avatar
ConcordeCX replied to brooksby | 4 years ago
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brooksby wrote:

...because the govt wants us to get checked for all these things, but won't provide funding so GPs don't have time or money to actually do it?

Need mental health support? Fine, but you'll need to go private.

Had a cough for more than x weeks? Go see a GP "Oh don't bother me with that - its just a cough!" Etc etc.

the GPs don’t actually do these things, others do.

From the age of 40 you can have an NHS health check every 5 years, which is done by a practice nurse. This tells you your 10-year risk of dying from various common cardiovascular things. If the risk is high you will go for further treatment. At my first health check the nurse told me she only ever saw healthy men, because the unhealthy ones don’t take up the offer.

If you do have some sort of suspected cardiovascular event then you’ll normally be checked very thoroughly and very quickly at your local hospital by specialist consultants.

 

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mike the bike replied to ConcordeCX | 4 years ago
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Quote:

 ...... At my first health check the nurse told me she only ever saw healthy men, because the unhealthy ones don’t take up the offer. ......  

 

I booked an aortic scan about ten years ago, after my pal suffered a rupture in his.  The nurse told me that 3 out of every 5 fail to turn up, despite having booked the appointment in the first place!

She reckoned the blokes tell their wives it was OK and everybody's happy.

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