Bethany-Shannon Memorial Ice Hockey Festival 2017,

About the event

Bethany-Shannon Preston was a normal, apparently healthy 3 year old girl when, on the 22nd June 2010, she died suddenly overnight after suffering a suspected cardiac arrest.  There is absolutely no indication on what the actual cause of death was but Bethany's parents have since put their focus into fundraising to try and prevent other families from going through what they have to on a day to day basis in a world that doesn't understand this level of grief that no-one CAN understand unless they themselves are living the same life.  So in March 2011, Simon and Colleen founded Bethany's Legacy to help prevent unnecessary cardiac deaths. 

When I go back to that day when I found Bethany's lifeless body in her bed; I always question should I have gone into her bedroom when I went to bed that night, could that have made a difference?

I am trained to use CPR and this kicked in the next morning when I found her, but unfortunately that question is left as a big 'What if...."

It's too late for me, but perhaps I could do something to try and prevent what other families do on a day to day basis.   This is why I am determined to fundraise enough funds to pay for an external provider to provide AED training for people who are in constant contact with people who could be at risk of a sudden cardiac death.  CPR is okay, but to know how to use a defibrillator could actual save a life in the long term.  This is why....... 

 “Automated External Defibrillation (AED) is well established as the only effective therapy for cardiac arrest. The scientific evidence to support early defibrillation is overwhelming, the single most determinant of survival being the delay from collapse to delivery of the first shock. The chances of successful defibrillation decline at a rate of 7-10% with each minute. Basic life support may help to sustain a shockable rhythm but is not a definitive treatment.” 

Meaning that from the point of collapse…..someone has only between 6 and 15 minutes before there is no chance of a successful defibrillation.  

Instead of trying to get a diagnosis of a cardiac condition from the minority of the sample size, how about educating the population on how to use a public access defibrillator (AED).  This way, if someone goes into a cardiac arrest – people around them are skilled up in their workplace, school or sports club to use an AED…..thus preventing a cardiac death. 

Why should you sponsor?

You should sponsor this event, because you care about people and want to be involved in the fight to keep people alive and living a healthy lifestyle. So many people die from sudden cardiac deaths (my 3 year old daughter as an example) which can be prevented with general public training on how to use a public access difibrillator.   It is too late for me, but it isnt for countless of other people who are completely unaware that their families may have an undiagnosed condition.

My daughter, Bethany-Shannon was a normal, apparently healthy 3 year old girl when, on the 22nd June 2010, she died suddenly overnight after suffering a suspected cardiac arrest.  There is absolutely no indication on what the actual cause of death was but Bethany's parents have since put their focus into fundraising to try and prevent other families from going through what they have to on a day to day basis in a world that doesn't understand this level of grief that no-one CAN understand unless they themselves are living the same life.  So in March 2011, Simon and Colleen founded Bethany's Legacy to help prevent unnecessary cardiac deaths. 

When I go back to that day when I found Bethany's lifeless body in her bed; I always question should I have gone into her bedroom when I went to bed that night, could that have made a difference?

I am trained to use CPR and this kicked in the next morning when I found her, but unfortunately that question is left as a big 'What if...."

As I mentioned - It's too late for me, but perhaps I could do something to try and prevent what other families having to go through what we do on a day to day basis.   This is why I am determined to fundraise enough funds to pay for an external provider to provide AED training for people who are in constant contact with people who could be at risk of a sudden cardiac death.  CPR is okay, but to know how to use a defibrillator could actual save a life in the long term.  This is why....... 

 “Automated External Defibrillation (AED) is well established as the only effective therapy for cardiac arrest. The scientific evidence to support early defibrillation is overwhelming, the single most determinant of survival being the delay from collapse to delivery of the first shock. The chances of successful defibrillation decline at a rate of 7-10% with each minute. Basic life support may help to sustain a shockable rhythm but is not a definitive treatment.” 

Meaning that from the point of collapse…..someone has only between 6 and 15 minutes before there is no chance of a successful defibrillation.  

Instead of trying to get a diagnosis of a cardiac condition from the minority of the sample size, how about educating the population on how to use a public access defibrillator (AED).  This way, if someone goes into a cardiac arrest – people around them are skilled up in their workplace, school or sports club to use an AED…..thus preventing a cardiac death.  

So here is the opportunity for you to be a part of something amazing and help us to reduce the number of cardiac deaths by being one of our event sponsors!  Every little helps us to save lives! 

Simon Preston

I am a Specialist Leader of Education (SLE), a successful Head of Department in various secondary schools and a Sa Bom (Master Instructor) of the Korean Art called Tang Soo Do.   The leadership skills I have developed through my professional life and since founding the Community Tang Soo Do Association in 2013  combined with my organisational skills have allowed me to organise numerous events since 2011 raising a total so far of over £10,000.

This summer will be the third event I have held in memory of my daughter and drew the attention of local media including BBC Midlands Today. (see the home page on the website).  We have also appear only local radio in Coventry & Warwickshire.  So there is a large coverage of the event.  This year, entry is free and therefore more likely to exceed the numbers we have had in previous years.  12 Ice Hockey teams are visiting from around Englands, bringing with them their families and friends also.  With your support, we can market the event even further at professional ice hockey matches with the support of a local professional Elite League team.

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