At this year’s annual Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) reception, as part of the CRY Raising Awareness Week, CRY will be announcing a major new initiative funding research which will be conducted by Dr Mary Sheppard of the National Heart and Lung institute at the Royal Brompton Hospital. The research will have a significant impact on CRY’s determined campaign to save young lives.

Dr Sheppard is an expert cardiac pathologist specialising in Sudden Cardiac Death Syndrome (SCD) and has previously carried out research with the British Heart Foundation. CRY will be providing a 3-year grant for £180,000 (£60,000 p.a). to fund a Research Scientist, a part time PhD student and medical secretary and a specialist microscope, to assist Dr Sheppard in her role as consultant histopathologist for SCD and to study over 700 hundred hearts that have been retained for indications of Sudden Cardiac Death not commonly visible at post mortem. This research is unique and the information will make a vital contribution to the understanding of these genetic conditions for pathologists so that coroners can clarify SCD as a cause of death at post mortem, and help to save the lives of countless other family members who may be affected. This is the first time that a research grant has been made to a pathologist and recognises the vital role that pathology plays in these inherited conditions.

This initiative has been made possible by two outstanding back-to-back fund raising events held in March and organised by double Grand Slam winner and member of the 1991 England Rugby World Cup final team, Simon Halliday (also attending) who recruited John Inverdale, and a plethora of big names from the world of rugby including ex-Bath and ex-England colleagues.  John and Simon became Patrons of CRY after a friend, Howard English, died age 32 during a rugby game they were involved in.  A decade later, Howard’s son Sebastian died age 15 – also playing rugby – from the same genetic condition that had killed his father and which tragically had not been identified at post mortem.