Each week up to eight apparently fit and healthy young people in the UK die of an undiagnosed heart condition. Most of these deaths, often called Sudden Death Syndrome, are preventable according to heart charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY). Today the group is calling for all school children to be given heart tests at the same time they are given BCG injections against tuberculosis. Life saver? Jamie Bucknell died seven weeks ago in the middle of his English class, in front of his friends at school – he was just 14 years old. 18 months before he had collapsed after blacking out and had to be revived by a school first-aider. He was taken to hospital but after tests was pronounced fit to leave the next morning. Jamie’s parents, Keith and Debbie, were unaware of the existence of Sudden Death Syndrome. Had they known of the CRY campaign they believe they would have fought for extra tests, meaning Jamie might still be alive……… Click here for the full article.
