Nine peaks in memory of Martin Morgan
Martin had been diagnosed with epilepsy when he was around 8 years old and hadn’t had a known seizure for 15 years before he passed away.
Martin Morgan was just 37 when he passed away to SUDEP. It was 2015 and he had just auditioned for Britain’s Got Talent only a few months before.
Cheryl Morgan-Walker, Martin’s younger sister said: Martin was the “life and soul of any party. He was just a very liked person. He had friends galore…his laugh was absolutely infectious. He just loved life.”
Martin had been diagnosed with epilepsy when he was around 8 years old and after finding a suitable medication, he hadn’t had a known seizure for 15 years before he passed away.
Neither Martin nor his family had been made aware of SUDEP. Cheryl said: “I never thought that you could die from epilepsy. And I don’t think many people are aware…it just doesn’t seem fair that he was taken at such a young age when he had so much to live for.”
This year marks the 10th anniversary since Martin’s death and Cheryl will be honouring it with a 3 x 3 peak challenge alongside her fitness group led by a local Aberystwyth trainer Bethan Davies. Each year the group raise money for a different charity so Cheryl put forward SUDEP Action.
Cheryl said “I wanted to do something that little bit more challenging on the anniversary of Martin’s passing especially with it being 10 years and this seemed to just be the ideal opportunity”
“I’m so grateful to all of the group for supporting the charity and putting all our efforts into this charity because I know that it is so close to my heart and SUDEP Action have been there for me since Martin passed away…if it hadn’t been for the charity, I don’t think I’d be sat here now talking in such a positive light about everything because I was in a dark place where Martin passed. We were so close.”
The Bethan Davies fitness group have already completed the first of their 3 peak challenges conquering the Yorkshire 3 peaks in May of this year. This weekend on the 12th-13th July, the team will be climbing the National 3 peaks which falls on the 10th anniversary of Martin’s passing. Cheryl will then join the team to hike the final 3 Welsh peaks in September which is completed in just 24 hours.
Cheryl said: “It’s going to be quite emotional…because I will be remembering Martin and I’m going to be talking a lot about Martin…I just think climbing mountains…It just sort of releases some different sort of energy. It makes you feel like you’ve accomplished something and you’re achieving something… It’s going to be a very emotional day but I’m excited about it more than anything now.”
Cheryl also said that the support that SUDEP Action has provided has been invaluable. “I didn’t know where to turn. I didn’t know who to talk to, but Tracy was there for me, and she’s continued to be there for me throughout. So, I think that’s a massive, important part of the charity…the only charity that support those bereaved by epilepsy.”
Remembering Martin, Cheryl said: “He always used to say; ‘Never give up, never give up on your dreams. Just keep striving forward and doing what you love doing best.’ That was his absolute message.”
You can support Cheryl and the Bethan Davies Fitness Group by visiting their JustGiving page here.
