Why Support CRY?
Every week in the UK, at least 12 apparently fit and healthy young people die suddenly and unexpectedly from an undiagnosed heart condition. Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) is the only charity in the UK offering proactive cardiac screenings to young people between the ages of 14-35. Of the 600 young sudden cardiac deaths that occur each year, 80% are in people with absolutely no prior symptoms. Identification prior to death is only possible with cardiac screening.
Since 1995, CRY has screened over 120,000 young people in order to identify any cardiac conditions that they may be carrying. In Italy where screening is mandatory for all young people engaged in organised sport, the incidence of young sudden cardiac death has been reduced by 89%.
CRY needs your support in order to raise awareness of young sudden cardiac death, in turn reducing the incidence of young sudden cardiac deaths.
Through CRY’s screening programme, we have identified that 1 in 300 people that CRY tests will have a potentially life threatening condition and 1 in 100 people that CRY tests are identified with a less serious cardiac condition, that could cause problems later in life.
After a young sudden cardiac death, CRY offers emotional and clinical support to affected families. CRY has supported over 1,000 bereaved families. Through CRY’s myheart network, CRY provides emotional support to young people diagnosed with cardiac conditions.
CRY also funds medical research into the diagnosis and treatment of conditions that can cause young sudden cardiac death. CRY has funded more than 20 Research Fellows who have worked to further enhance our understanding of YSCD and improving our ability to diagnose and manage conditions.
For more information on the work of CRY please call 01737 363 222.
Current Funding Projects
Screening
£50 funds the screening of a young person
Since many cases of YSCD are preventable when heart conditions are detected and treated, lives can be saved. We offer a unique service as CRY is the only UK charity offering proactive cardiac testing to young people (aged 14-35).
Of the 600 young sudden cardiac deaths that occur each year, 80% are in people with absolutely no prior symptoms. Identification prior to death is only possible with cardiac screening.
Through our screening services, we have discovered that 1 in 300 young people screened are identified as carrying a serious cardiac condition. The results have also shown that 1 in 100 screened will have a less serious cardiac condition that could cause health problems in later life.
A donation of £5,000 would allow CRY to hold a cardiac screening day in which 100 young people would be screened for any cardiac conditions that they may carry.
Bereavement Support Training
£3,400 funds the training for a bereavement supporter
CRY’s bereavement support services are essential in our efforts to support bereaved families after a young sudden cardiac death.
As part of our bereavement support, CRY fully funds a two-year skills and theory residential course (British Association of Counselling (BAC) accredited course), which is solely for parents, partners and siblings who have suffered a bereavement themselves.
The aim of running this course is so that bereaved families are able to get the help of trained supporter who can empathise with them. Once the counselling course is complete, our qualified bereavement supporters volunteer their time to offer telephone bereavement support to others who have been affected by young sudden cardiac death.
In order to train our Bereavement Supporters, they are required to attend 12-weekend sessions over a two-year period, which costs CRY in the region of £3,400 per supporter. CRY would aim to train 12 people on each course costing a total of over £40,000.
Research Fellowship
£60,000 funds a research fellow for a year
CRY funds research fellowships in order to further enhance our understanding of YSCD and improving our ability to diagnose and manage conditions.
CRY fellows will also provide the expertise for our screening programme and ensure that all that attend are able to speak with a specialist on the day to alleviate any concerns they might have, as well as eliminate the waiting time for the results.
CRY Fellows also improve the quality of cardiological care for those affected by a cardiac condition. This is achieved by increasing the number of specialists in the NHS with the relevant understanding of how to support families after a tragedy. CRY research fellows take the skills they have learnt to other NHS hospitals once their fellowship with CRY is complete.
Each fellow is funded by CRY for a minimum of 2 years at a cost of £60,000 per annum. We currently fund 8 research fellows and will need to continue funding these grants in order to maintain and develop our services.
CRY is always looking to expand the number of fellowships we fund to further our research.
For more information on any of our projects or to find out what else CRY needs support with please contact our Fundraising Team on 01737 363 222 or email [email protected].
