Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Family’s leap of love in honour of Victoria
The family of a cherished Greengairs teenager, whose life was tragically cut short after suffering an epileptic seizure, are taking to the skies for charity.
Victoria Rae (below) passed away last April, aged just 19, following a nighttime seizure, diagnosed as the “uncommon” Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP).
Victoria’s stunned family were left devastated by her death but have now decided to do their bit to raise awareness of SUDEP.
Her cousin Maggie Green, 46, and Maggie’s son Mark Rae, 28, will take the plunge from thousands of feet in the air when they participate in a skydive in aid of charity SUDEP Action in March.
Victoria’s sister Lisa, 30, told the Advertiser: “Victoria had been in great health and was at work the night before she died, and asked us to wake her at 9am the next morning.
“She had previously suffered from three seizures; the he fourth one was fatal.
“If she’d lived Victoria would have been diagnosed with epilepsy y just a month h later; they were e all nighttime e seizures, which h put people at the he most risk.
“Losing Victoria ria was very tough as she was a lovely ely person.
“Getting over the fact it was such ch a massive shock was the hardest ha part; we all think about and miss m her every single day.” Maggie Ma and Mark set a £ 750 target targe for their charity skydive in Victoria’s Vict memory – but that will soon be smashed as kind-hearted contributors con dig deep to help the famL family’s cause. Lisa said: “Mark and Maggie are doing doi the skydive in St Andrew’s on St Patrick’s Day this year [March [M 17] and this will be their first ever experience of skydiving.
“Maggie took inspiration from seeing the contestants on I’m A Celebrity doing the adrenaline-fuelled task and thought it would be a good way to raise funds.
“They are both pretty terrified, but really looking forward to getting up in the plane.
“They were hoping to raise £750 but donations on their JustGiving page have already reached just shy of £740 with two months still to go.
“The response from people has been fantastic and the family thanks everyone who has already donated, and anyone who does so.”
The skydive won’t be the family’s last fundraising effort – although future events are likely to see them keep their feet planted firmly on the ground instead of leaping out of a plane.
Lisa explained: “We’re looking to set up a charity night for the day after the first anniversary of Victoria’s death.
“Charities like SUDEP Action are still doing all they can to help research seizures and we hope to do anything we can to support them.
“Raising awareness about SUDEP is so important too as a lot of people don’t know anything about it.
“The more money we can collect, the better.”
● To donate to Maggie and Mark’s fundraising effort, visit www.justgiving. com/fundraising/maggie-brown4
For more information about SUDEP, go online at https://sudep.org/
Losing Victoria was very tough as she was a lovely person