Chronicle Live, 26th April 2019
David Jewell lost his 28 year old son, Damien, in 2001 to acute myocarditis – an inflammation of a heart muscle for which there is no preventative medical treatment. Damien had not been aware that he had this condition and showed no signs of ill health previously. His father, David, wants to make sure no other families have to suffer this tragedy. After retiring, he has been working with Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) to promote and provide heart screenings, fund research and offer support to bereaved families. David eventually became CRY’s regional representative, helping to organise CRY’s first North Tyneside Seaside Walk last year; this year’s walk planned for Saturday 27th.
“When we lost Damien it seemed like the end of the world had occurred, ” David said. “At that time, all I did was just bury myself in my job. I remember going back to work and my colleagues saying ‘What are you doing here David?'” He continued: “You never get over something as traumatic and eventful as that,” he added. “You learn to cope with it. Now that I have retired, I just want to give something back. I want to help raise awareness of the devastating effect of cardiac issues in the young.” Read More
