Heart tour ‘saves 13 lives’

By Tamasin Ford
Newsbeat Reporter, Radio One

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Paul Clabburn: 'We don't want another family to lose a child'

Thirteen young people have been detected with serious heart defects during a charity screening tour.

More than 2,000 young people in England have had their hearts tested for abnormalities that could lead to Sudden Death Syndrome.

It is a condition that affects apparently healthy and fit 14-35 year olds, killing 12 in the UK every week.

Charity CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) has toured the country, offering free tests and raising awareness.

Four of the 13 young people positively diagnosed were found to be at very high risk.

The young people and their parents are now going through various stages of counselling whilst working out what sort of lifestyle changes, medication and in some cases, what surgery they need.

Dr Papadakis says the tour has potentially saved lives

Dr Michael Papadakis, a cardiologist working for the charity, said the tour - carried out in conjunction with healthcare company Philips- had been a success.

He said: "We have identified 13 young people who have heart problems and we have potentially saved their lives."

There are a whole range of heart defects that can lead to Sudden Death Syndrome.

Andy Scott, manager of Brentford Football Club, knows all too well what it is like to live with a positive diagnosis.

"I was playing at Leyton Orient at the time," he said.

"Half way through the game at Cheltenham on Good Friday, I started to feel awful.

"I had chest pains, pins and needles and I was struggling to breathe.

"I came off the pitch and told the manager I couldn't go on."

Warning signs

That was back in 2005. Since then Andy has been diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

It is the same heart condition Cameroon footballer Marc-Vivien Foe died of during the middle of an international game in 2003.

As we sit here now, someone is having to face the same sort of struggle we've had to face Paul Clabburn

But, unlike the midfielder, Andy displayed warning symptoms which effectively saved his life.

"I was 32 and that was it for me," he said. "I had to stop playing football or else it would kill me.

"There are so many emotions you go though.

"These young people will be thinking, 'why me?' But it's much better to know about these things and have a life in front of you rather than your family having to deal with the consequences."

Andy knew he could no longer be a footballer but still wanted to be involved in the game.

He eventually became the Manager of Brentford football Club but still has to stay away from doing any extreme exercise.

Screening is critical

The only way to find out if you are at risk of Sudden Death Syndrome is through screening.

Tom Clabburn died suddenly in bed

Most people, like Paul Clabburn's son, Tom, do not show any symptoms at all.

He died in his bed when he was just 14 years old, weeks before his 15th birthday.

"Tom was a normal healthy boy. He loved playing football. He loved playing tennis," said Paul.

"He showed no signs of any major illness so it was a complete shock to us he was suffering from a heart condition."

Paul and his wife, Claire Prosser, now support the work CRY does.

The final stop of the charity's first free testing tour took place at Brentford football Club in Tom's memory.

Sudden Death Syndrome, if detected, is preventable and treatable.

But at the moment screening for the condition is not freely available on the NHS.

It costs around £100 to get it done privately or CRY offer tests at a subsidised cost of £35.

Mandatory testing

In Italy, Electrocardiogram (ECG) screening is now mandatory in children from the age of 13 if they take part in competitive sport.

And Cry wants a similar thing to be available on the NHS.

A Department of Health spokesperson said: "The UK National Screening Committee has always concluded that there is not enough evidence to warrant either a blanket-screening programme or one targeted specifically at those groups thought to be at high risk like young athletes.

"If the condition is detected in a person, it may never affect them.

"Also, if that person is involved in sporting activities, there is little evidence to suggest that removing them from that physical environment will actually reduce or increase their risk of dying suddenly from the condition."

But Paul said it would be the only way to stop families like his, having to go through the death of a child.

"There are twelve deaths a week. That's more than one a day," he said.

"As we sit here now, someone is having to face the same sort of struggle we've had to face."