North Thanet MP Roger Gale MP is backing a hard hitting and thought provoking national campaign highlighting the tragic condition known as sudden cardiac death in the young. 

The charity, Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), invited MPs from all parties to view a poster-sized version of a new postcard – featuring eight people under the age of 35 who lost their lives suddenly to previously undetected heart conditions. 

All the eight victims pictured had no apparent symptoms or history of bad health.  Yet 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. 

Alison Cox, chief executive and founder of the charity, said: “This marks a real milestone in our ongoing 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 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 anytime – usually without warning.” 

Speaking at the charity’s parliamentary launch at the House of Commons, Mr Gale said: “I have a godson who was a superb sportsman.  He was diagnosed as having a cardiac condition and had to give up his sport overnight.  The effect was devastating but without the diagnosis achieved by screening he would almost certainly now be dead.  I am therefore very pleased to have this opportunity to show my support for CRY’s ongoing campaign.” 

The giant postcard was unveiled at the House of Commons by veteran tennis star Mark Cox, who is a patron of CRY, and the campaign is backed by a team of sportsmen and women including CRY president Ian Botham. 

A new card will be issued every month, portraying victims.  It is hoped the flurry of postcards will encourage MPs to add their parliamentary support to the campaign.