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FAMILIES UNVEIL NEW POSTCARD TO
HIGHLIGHT TRAGIC HEART CONDITION
Powerful campaign pays
tribute to the young faces behind sudden cardiac death
North West Launch - 6th April 2009
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Families from the
Liverpool area and across the North West
joined together to
help launch a
major regional campaign to highlight shocking new statistics that show
the number of young people who lose their lives to the tragic condition
sudden cardiac death now stands at 12 every week – a staggering 50% rise
on previous estimates. |
Other regional
launches of the
CRY '12 a week'
postcard |
The
new figures are based on official statistics [ONS 2006] citing the cause
of sudden death among people aged 35 and under.
A
poster-sized version of an emotive new postcard - featuring the
photos of 12 young people from the North West region who lost their
lives suddenly to previously undetected heart conditions – was
unveiled at the poignant ceremony.
The symbolic
campaign (which first started in 2004 to promote the fact that 8 young
deaths were, at the time, estimated every week), was recently
re-launched at a national event at Westminster, supported by the
charity’s latest Patron, James Cracknell OBE.
Over the
past 5 years, around 100,000 postcards have been requested by CRY
families to raise awareness and lobby support.
It is now widely accepted that screening
saves lives. CRY is committed to encouraging greater access to cardiac
testing for all groups and individuals (but especially those involved in
sport at ‘grass-roots' level) to detect conditions that might otherwise
go undiagnosed.
At
the event, CRY also paid tribute to “The Gwyneth Forresters Trust”
which has made a donation of £50,000 for screening to be carried out at
a number of universities throughout the UK, enabling all Talent ID
scholarship (TASS) athletes to be tested.
Chief
Executive and Founder of the charity, Alison Cox MBE, said; “We feel
– as the recorded incidence of sudden cardiac death rises – it is time
to re-launch this powerful campaign in the North West to
emphasise the importance of screening and that so many of these tragic
cases affecting fit and healthy young people could have been prevented.”
“Our screening clinic in the North West
will provide an essential and regular service for any
young (35 and under) person wanting to be tested. This important clinic
is an essential part of the expansion of our screening service
throughout the UK."
She added:
“These 12 faces are just a 'snap-shot' of the problem and we need to
keep up the pressure and engage support from as many MPs as possible to
make sure we can prevent other families from experiencing similar
tragedies. We already have strong support from MPs in the North West
region – many of whom have been deeply moved by a death of a young
person in their constituency and have pledged to support our ongoing
work and awareness raising activity.”
Throughout
2009, hundreds of postcards will be distributed by CRY families and
supporters to people across the North West urging them to send it back
to their local MP. It is hoped the influx of postcards will encourage
MPs to add their support to the campaign and join the Cardiac Risk in
the Young All Party Parliamentary Group.
New
postcards will be launched regularly over the course of the year, portraying
victims from 12 different regions across the UK.
Click
here for more photos from the launch
ENDS
For more
information or to arrange an interview with the [name] family or a local
MP who is currently a member of the CRY All Party Parliamentary Group
please call: THE CRY PRESS OFFICE: JO HUDSON OR
HEATHER CHURCHOUSE ON 020 8786 3860 / 0770 948 7959:
jo.hudson@trinitypr.co.uk
Media coverage of this launch
Other regional launches of the CRY '12 a week' postcard
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