Alyn and Deeside MP Mark Tami is backing a campaign to bring a lifesaving heart unit to North Wales and Chester.

Mr Tami has joined forces with Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) in a bid to bring a mobile heart-scanning unit to the region.

CRY is a charity that offers support and counselling to relatives of Sudden Death Syndrome victims. Between four and eight apparently fit and healthy young people die every week in the UK from the condition.

Among those who have lost children to Sudden Death Syndrome are football coach Terry Yorath, whose son Daniel died playing football, and Connah’s Quay mother, Doreen Harley.

Doreen is now CRY’s Divisional Representative for North Wales and also has duties for Chester.

She lost her daughter Lisa Jane Browne, a nurse in a paediatric ward at the Countess of Chester Hospital, when she was just 27 years old.

Since the tragic death, Doreen’s family has had various tests carried out and has discovered that several members have Long QT Syndrome, which can lead to sudden death through cardiac arrest.

Doreen said: ‘If teenagers in their early teens were offered screening for heart problems, may be there would be a lot less of these Sudden Adult Deaths.

‘CRY have asked Mr Tami to help raise awareness and to spearhead a campaign to raise money for a mobile heart-scanning unit to be brought to North Wales and Cheshire.’

Mr Tami added: ‘Sudden Death Syndrome is a devastating condition. It is extremely difficult for families to come to terms with and CRY has proven invaluable in supporting many families throughout Britain - we are trying to raise money to bring the mobile unit here.

‘Contributions from individuals or companies are welcome and any organisation that would like a presentation by CRY should not hesitate to contact me or Doreen.’

View from Westminster

This week I have given my full backing to an important campaign to bring a lifesaving heart unit to North Wales and Chester. I have joined forces with Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) in a bid to bring a mobile heart scanning unit to the region.

CRY is a charity that offers support and counselling to the relatives of Sudden Death Syndrome victims. Between four and eight apparently fit and healthy young people die every week in the UK from the condition.

Among those who have lost children to Sudden Death Syndrome are former Wales football coach Terry Yorath, whose son Daniel died playing football and Connah’s Quay mother Doreen Harley. Doreen lost her daughter Lisa when she was just 27 years old and she is now CRY’s divisional representative for North Wales and Chester.

Sudden Death Syndrome is a devastating condition. It is extremely difficult for families to come to terms with and CRY has proved invaluable in supporting many families across Britain.

We are trying to raise enough money to bring the mobile unit here to North Wales and Chester. If we are successful the unit will be able to check about 37 people. Contributions from individuals and companies are welcome and any companies that would like a presentation by CRY should not hesitate to contact myself or Doreen.