Local MPs Nigel Waterson and Charles Hendry teamed up to lend their support to a charity’s 10th anniversary. 

Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) launched is first ever awareness week – and called on the sports world to help save young lives. 

Although approximately eight apparently fit and healthy young people (aged under 35) die every week from Sudden Cardiac Death, 60 per cent of people questioned for a new poll, were not aware of the tragic toll of the condition. 

As a result, the charity used the week to highlight the risk factors for the condition and introduce measures to prevent the unnecessary deaths caused by undiagnosed heart conditions in young people.

At a Parliamentary reception, attended by Ian Botham, President of CRY, to mark the anniversary, the charity also launched a campaign to put pressure on sporting organisations to follow the example set recently by the RFU (Rugby Football Union), which aims to introduce ECG screening for all young athletes involved in its junior clubs. 

Cavendish School student Jeremy Cole suffered sudden cardiac death aged just 15 and his parents have become campaigners to raise the profile of CRY.  And Eastbourne Mayor Graham Marsden has chosen CRY as his special charity for the year. 

A number of high-profile professional athletes have also died from the condition including Cameroon football international March Vivien Foe and Terry Yorath ‘s son Daniel, 15, who had just been signed to play for Leeds United.  More recently, the ex-Leyton Orient professional Andy Scott was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy after he collapsed during a match. 

Alison Cox, chief executive and founder of CRY, said, “We strongly believe that routine screening of all young people (aged over 14) who regularly take part in sport and physical activity could save hundreds of lives each year. 

"The effect of saving lives through ECG testing has not as yet been fully recognised by the government or health professionals, but it is the best way to detect abnormalities in the heart in young people and to put a stop to the needless deaths of young people and the suffering caused to their family and friends." 

CRY recommends that screening is requested through GP’s if there have been any young sudden deaths in the family or if there are symptoms of: chest pain (exercise related), breathlessness, palpitations, dizziness, fainting/blackouts. 

Speaking at the charity’s Parliamentary reception at the House of Commons, Mr Hendry said: “It is a great honour to be here to celebrate the work of such a pioneering charity. 

“The expertise, determination and enthusiasm of all those involved over the past 10 years is inspirational and has resulted in initiatives such as screening clinics which have helped to save thousands of young lives. 

“It is vital that we do everything we can to help raise awareness and support initiatives such as screening in elite athletes, which could help to prevent the unnecessary deaths of young people.’ 

Since the charity was launched in 1995, it has raised nearly £3 million which has helped to fund screening programmes, bereavement support, patient advice and medical research and the donation of machinery to doctor’s surgeries and hospitals.