A mother whose 27-year-old daughter died from a heart condition is urging Wrexham families to attend a cardiac screening session.

The charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) will hold its first North Wales mobile cardiac screening event on Saturday, February 22, 2003 at the Beaufort Park Hotel in Mold.

Doreen Harley, CRY’s divisional representative for North Wales said: ‘Following the sad young death of my daughter Lisa Jane Browne, a 27-year-old nurse who worked at the Countess of Chester Hospital, my husband and myself underwent cardiac screening at St George’s.

‘My husband Terry was diagnosed as having the condition Long QT Syndrome, the same condition that Lisa died from in January 1998.  Our surviving daughter Rachel Louise, who is 29, has also been diagnosed with the condition, as has her six-year-old son Jack.  Her two-year-old son Adam is waiting for DNA test results to see if he has the condition or not.

‘We do know that screening can save lives and if this screening day in February can save just one life it can prevent other families from suffering the tragedy my family has had to live with.'

All people will be seen on an appointment basis and reservations for appointments are now being taken.  There are 37 appointments available, issued on a first come first served basis, for anyone between the ages of 14-35 and living anywhere in Wrexham or North Wales as a whole.

The screening will consist of an ECG, an ECHO and a consultation with a cardiologist.  After the screening the client’s ECG/ECHO, completed health questionnaire and consent form will be forwarded to CRY’s administrator at St George’s Hospital Medical School.

Anyone found to have any abnormality at the screening will be invited to attend St George’s Hospital in London for a full cardiac evaluation.  All screening results are strictly confidential.

St George’s is considered a centre of excellence in the UK for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac abnormalities in young people.  Re-testing will be free, but travel expenses will not be covered.  In the event of a positive diagnosis, the client will be contacted and can either be seen at St George’s or their local hospital via GP referral.