Cardiac campaign

Gower MP Martin Caton has attended the national launch of a hard-hitting campaign highlighting the tragic condition known as sudden cardiac death in the young.

The charity, Cardiac Risk in the Young invited MPs to view a poster-sized version of a new postcard featuring the photos of eight young people who lost their lives to previously undetected heart conditions.

All the victims had no apparent symptoms or history of bad health, although it’s 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.  Chief executive and founder of the charity, Alison Cox, said: “The event marks a milestone in our on-going campaign to raise awareness of sudden death in young people.  By showing just some of the faces behind the stories we read and hear about we can help people begin to understand the heartbreak caused by this cruel killer and highlight the fact that it can happen to anyone.”

The giant postcard was unveiled at the House of Commons by veteran tennis star, Mark Cox – who is a patron of Cry.  The campaign is backed by a team of famous faces from the world of sport, including Cry President Ian Botham.