Southend heart sessions in teen's memory screen more than 200
More than 200 young people turned up for free heart screening sessions aimed at detecting potential cardiac problems.The sessions were organised in Southend-on-Sea by the Jude Harvey Foundation, named after a 19-year-old man who died from an undiagnosed heart condition while on holiday in Ibiza in July 2023.Jude's father Gary Harvey said the slots at the Civic Centre in Southend-on-Sea were fully booked across Saturday and Sunday.Choking back the tears, he said witnessing the event had made him "really proud - because that's Jude's legacy".
Jude was a trainee hairdresser when he died.His father said the teenager had showed no signs of any cardiac condition and would go to the gym several times a week with his dad."He was perfect - there had never been any reason for him to be checked for this," Mr Harvey said.
The family set up the foundation to build awareness, raise funding and offer heart screening to detect cardiac problems in others.The foundation works with the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) to arrange the sessions for 14 to 35-year-olds.Those who attend are checked with an ECG (electrocardiogram machine), and if an issue is detected they are offered an echocardiogram to look at the heart and nearby blood vessels and are referred to a doctor.By the end of Saturday, 16 young people were referred on to their GPs for further tests.Jo Hudson from CRY said: "Like many families we work with, [the Harveys are] seeing past their own grief in order to make sure no other family has to suffer the same experience."
Heart conditions in younger people:Every week in the UK, 12 young people (that is, aged 35 and under) die suddenly from a previously undiagnosed heart conditionA total of 80% of these deaths will occur with no prior symptomsAbout 315,000 young people have been tested by CRY since it was set up in 1995This has identified more than 1,000 young people with potentially life-threatening conditionsWhen a young person is identified with a condition they may have to make lifestyle changes, have corrective surgery, take medication or in some cases they will need to have an ICD (internal cardiac defibrillator)Source: Cardiac Risk in the Young (Cry)
Cardiologist Dr Dimitra Maritsa, who works with CRY, said: "According to the statistics, 12 young individuals die every week, and this is a screening that is very quick, painless and it is life-saving."Mr Harvey said the family would continue to raise funds for more screening days in the future."We have another two planned in August and we will keep doing this for Jude and others like him."
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BBC News
3 days ago
- BBC News
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Scottish Sun
6 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Woman heartbroken as huge 16st pet dog dies after it was too big to get to vets
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Finextra
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- Finextra
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