"While the focus is often on CPR and defibrillator distribution and education there is precious little awareness around screening to identify people at risk of an SCA especially young people"
Shaun Ingram
The charity was set up by Mario and Debbie Dubois and Emily, the parents and sister of 17-year-old Harry, who died suddenly from an undiagnosed heart condition four years ago.
Since then 1000 Hearts for Harry has raised money to organise heart-screening events around the UK and support research into heart conditions.
The donated defibrillator from Cardiac Science will be used as an auction item at the next fund-raising event and is expected to be the start of an ongoing relationship between the two organisations in support of screening – a vital service to communities across the UK.
Cardiac Science Managing Director Shaun Ingram said: “While the focus is often on CPR and defibrillator distribution and education there is precious little awareness around screening to identify people at risk of an SCA – especially young people. So we are keen to build links with Mario and Debbie and see what else we can do in support.”
Mario said: “It’s great to have Shaun and the team on board and we look forward to working with them in 2018.”
On Harry, Mario said: “There was nothing physically unique or different about him. He was a healthy and happy teenage boy, enjoying music, singing and performing – it was his passion.
“There was no indication that he had a severe and rare heart condition, there were simply no warning signs of that awful Saturday night when we lost him.”
According to figures from the charity CRY - Cardiac Risk in the Young – at least 12 young people die every week from undiagnosed heart conditions in the UK and thousands more suffer from their loss.
CRY supports young people diagnosed with potentially life-threatening cardiac conditions and offers bereavement support to families affected. They also promote and develop heart screening programmes with fund-raising partners like 1000 Hearts for Harry and fund medical research.
Since 2014 1000 Hearts for Harry and CRY have run 20 heart screening days with over 1750 young people screened.
The next screenings will be at Media City on the 7th and 8th of April, followed by several other dates in late Summer and Autumn, locally. For more details email us 1000heartsforharry@gmail.com. Visit www.100heartsforharry.co.uk.
Cardiac Science has launched a new campaign to get defibrillators into communities through sponsorship from local businesses. For more information go to http://www.cardiacscience.co.uk/communitysponsor/ where you can find details on how to get involved.
