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On Monday night, December 15th, I had the privilege of being granted an adjournment debate, which I had requested to hold following many meetings and discussions with a constituent in Harlow and hearing their very own experience and story. The debate highlighted the very real issue of sudden cardiac arrest in young people, a struggle that has been advocated for through the CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) charity, and more specifically Clarissa’s Campaign for Young Hearts, which is headed up by a Harlow constituent, Maureen, who lost her great-niece, Clarissa, to this cause.

Cardiac arrest in young people has a significant impact on those who experience it and, in many cases, is completely preventable through additional screening measures and monitoring. Recently, screening at Cambridge University has just hit 1,000 young people, and with the huge impact that CRY is having, this number will continue to increase. That is just the start, with families only being screened once it is too late, and with those who are asymptomatic making up the majority of those at risk, the importance of this campaign cannot be overstated enough. The damage that is done to those who cannot access this screening is irrevocable and irreparable; there is no grief that can match losing a loved one so soon in life.