Sudden cardiac death charity steps up its campaign for action and awareness

A charity set up to support the families of young people who have died from a condition known as sudden cardiac death, has launched a new national campaign to promote awareness of the condition. 

Supporters of the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) have sent out thousands of postcards to people across the south-east, urging them to send them back to their local MP. It is hoped that this will increase membership of the charity’s all-party parliamentary group. 

One person who knows the tragic effect of sudden cardiac death is Veronica Thorn, from Littlehampton, whose son Ben died from the condition in 2001, aged 24. 

She said: “The launch was well supported.  There were about 100 people involved. 

“We have been helping with promoting the postcards.  They are all being put in the post to friends and family.” 

A new card will be launched every month, portraying victims from 12 regions across the UK. 

The eight victims pictured, who all came from the south-east, had no apparent symptoms or history of bad health. 

It is widely acknowledged that many of the hundreds of sudden deaths which occur every year in the UK could be prevented if simple cardiac screening was made more accessible. 

Earlier this year, the Department of Health agreed to add a new chapter to its framework on coronary heart disease dedicated to deaths among young people. 

Alison Cox, founder and chief executive of CRY, said: “By showing just some of the faces behind the stories we read and hear about all too often, we can help people begin to understand the heartbreak caused by this cruel killer and highlight the fact that it can happen to anyone, at any time – usually without warning.” 

The campaign is backed by many famous faces, including cricketer Ian Botham, veteran tennis stars Mark Cox and Jeremy Bates and Olympic rower Steve Redgrave.