Friends of a boy who died from a mysterious heart defect have taken part in a
mass screening session to see if they could also have the condition.
Richard
Allan was just 16 when he died from what is now known as sudden death syndrome,
last year.
His
devastated parents, Denis and Mandy Allan, embarked on a mammoth fundraising
campaign, to raise awareness of the condition and get more young people tested
for it.
They were
joined by Jo and Charlie Cross from Ponteland, who also lost their son, David,
26, to the condition.
Both
lads were sporty, appeared to be incredibly fit and healthy young people, yet
neither were aware they had a hidden heart problem.
A
simple ECG would have revealed the condition, thus allowing them the chance of
surgery to correct it.
A
total of 40 young people went along to the screening session, held by the
charity Cardiac Risk in the Young, CRY, at Asda, Benton, last weekend.
Mandy,
of West Moor, was pleased to see people emerging from their test with happy
faces. She said :"It was wonderful. It was lovely to see kids
and their parents coming out with smiles, and knowing we have sent them on their
way, safe in the knowledge that they don't have a hidden heart condition.
"At
the back of our minds, we were thinking if only this had been done before,
Richard could have had the chance of life, but that was taken away from him.
"It
was quite emotional for Jo and I. It would have been lovely if we had been
among the parents who were coming out smiling."
Unfortunately
the screening is not yet available on the NHS, and private screenings cost
around £400.
Mandy and Denis hope that the next
screening will take place in November. With
permission Herald & Post
