By ITV News Central Production Journalist Rachael Lewis
A cardiac arrest charity is encouraging young people to get their hearts screened after a schoolboy from Nottingham died following a football match.
Samuel Akwasi, who was 13-years-old, died in hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest on the pitch.
According to Cardiac Risk in the Young, every week in the UK, around 12 young people (under the age of 35) die suddenly from a previously undiagnosed heart condition.
80% of these deaths will occur with no prior symptoms.
In an interview with ITV News Central Dr Steven Cox, Chief Executive of Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), explained why it is so important to identify these conditions early through screenings.
Dr Cox said: “Tragically these conditions are not life style related, we are born with them.
“So often it might be the fittest and healthiest person who suffers a cardiac arrest. This is why it is so unnerving to people.”
According to Dr Cox, one in every 300 of these people will be identified with a potentially life- threatening condition.
“When we see these public events they come to the news, because they are witnessed events.
“But every week in the UK there are young people dying suddenly.
CRY charity perform screenings which are funded by families who have been affected by a young sudden cardiac arrest and are able to diagnose most cardiac abnormalities.
