Heart screenings for young people return to Plymouth
It's due to funds raised by Jenny Thomas, in memory of her son, Nicholas
A leading heart charity has returned to Plymouth, to deliver cardiac testing for local young people.
Funds raised by local Plymouth mum, Jenny Thomas, in memory of her son, Nicholas have lead to the screening of around 90 young, local people, delivered by experts from the charity, Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY).
Nicholas grew up in Devon before moving to Hertfordshire, to pursue a career in music. He was just 25 when he died suddenly from a previously undiagnosed heart condition (believed to be the ‘hidden heart syndrome’ Long QT, which can lead to fatal disturbances in the heart’s rhythm).
And, thanks to this full day of ‘free’ screening (which took place at the Woolwell Cente in Plymouth on Wednesday 6th August) we can report that one young person has been identified with a potential cardiac abnormality, requiring further investigation.
Every week in the UK, at least 12 seemingly fit and healthy young (that is aged 35 and under) die suddenly from a previously undiagnosed heart condition. In 80% of these cases, there will have been no warning signs, until it was too late – which is why CRY believes proactive cardiac screening amongst asymptomatic young people is so vitally important. One in every 300 people of those tested by CRY will be identified with a potentially life- threatening condition.
Nicholas’ tragic death in 2005 devasted his friends and family and his mum, Jenny Thomas pledged to devote her time to supporting CRY, becoming a Regional Representative for the charity and, after two years of specialist training, she qualified as a Bereavement Supporter.
To date, Jenny has provided 1-2-1 telephone support for over 25 bereaved mums (for a period of 6 months each) and raised more than £16,000 for CRY, through the Nicholas Thomas Memorial Fund (thanks to the unwavering support of the local community - including coffee mornings, afternoon teas, fundraising events and sales - and the help and encouragement of the Plymouth Inner Wheel Group).
The demand for places on CRY’s unique screening programme remains extremely high, with a national waiting list of over 110,000. So, unsurprisingly, this screening day on August 6th, was booked up within minutes of the 100 appointments being released via CRY’s screening portal for young people aged 14-35 www.testmyheart.org.uk
Chief Executive of Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), Dr Steven Cox, said: “CRY’s screening programme now provides testing for over 30,000 young people in the UK every year. And, it’s only due to the incredible commitment and fundraising efforts of families such as Nicholas’ that we are able to offer our programme at no cost to the individual when they sign up to be screened at www.testmyheart.org.uk.
“Jenny – Nicholas mum – has been a loyal supporter of CRY for the past twenty years and her commitment and efforts have been invaluable, as our charity has grown and evolved. We simply couldn’t function or deliver our range of bespoke services without our team of volunteers across the UK, especially Regional Reps and Bereavement Supporters.
“Jenny has also recently stepped up to serve as a ‘Walk and Talk’ leader in the SW, as part of a wonderful, new initiative which provides an opportunity for bereaved families to meet with others who have been affected by a young sudden cardiac death to walk, talk and eat lunch together. We’re so grateful for Jenny’s selfless support over the past two decades and really pleased that she’ll be holding her first screening in memory of her son, this summer.”
“We owe so much to our supporters and will continue to work hard on their behalf to ensure we can reduce the incidence of young sudden cardiac death through awareness, research and screening. We also pledge to campaign for cardiac screening to be extended and made accessible to all young people”.
Most of CRY’s screenings take place in community settings (such as schools, colleges, church halls and sports clubs) across the UK. Twice a month, around 100 young people are also screened for free at CRY’s National Screening Centre, based in Leatherhead, Surrey. Many of the young people who are identified through community screenings with potential abnormalities will be referred back to CRY’s Consultant Cardiologist, Professor Sanjay Sharma and his expert team at St George’s Hospital, London for further investigations or to a specialist centre for Inherited Cardiac Conditions (ICC) in their local areas.
Jenny Thomas said: “As I mark 20 years since losing my son, this screening feels like a deeply personal full circle. I never imagined I would still be here 20 years on, doing this in his name. But I am grateful that through CRY, his memory continues to protect others.
“I just hope by doing this screening one young life might be saved, and one family spared the grief we have carried for the last 20 years. This is for Nicholas and every other child taken too soon.”