By Tara Challenor
A heart screening event took place at Chatham and Clarendon Grammar School on 16th and 17th July in memory of former pupil Therese Field.
Funds raised by Rothschild Pearce House at CCGS in their charity weeks, Therese’s family and events attended by the local community, meant that 188 young people from CCGS were screened for potentially dangerous heart conditions by experts from the charity, Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY)
Every week, at least 12 apparently fit and healthy young people aged 35 and under lose their lives to sudden cardiac death in the UK. In 80% of these cases, there will have been no warning signs, until it was too late – which is why CRY believes proactive cardiac screening amongst asymptomatic young people is so vitally important.
An ECG test is a simple way to identify the vast majority of abnormalities that can cause sudden deaths in young people. The test is quick, non-invasive and, if necessary, a further Echocardiogram can be taken on the same day to provide further clarity or reassurance.
CRY’s screening programme is overseen by Professor Sanjay Sharma, Professor of Inherited Cardiovascular Disease and Sports Cardiology at St George’s University of London and the Medical Director of the Virgin London Marathon. Professor Sharma makes no charge for supervising the CRY screening programme and due to this support, CRY can subsidise the programme significantly – privately, these tests could cost hundreds of pounds.
Therese Field died suddenly in April 1997 at the age of 16. Her cause of death was believed to be from an undetected heart condition.
Therese was a pupil at Clarendon House, where her siblings also attended. She was a Year 11 pupil who was popular, well-liked and an active member of the community. A talented dancer and singer, Therese attended Page Mason Dance school and had a bright future ahead of her.
Therese’s family set up the Therese Field memorial fund through CRY in 1998 and have raised over £50,000 for CRY. Therese’s sister Tara Challenor is the South East volunteer representative of CRY and regularly puts on shows, Christmas concerts and other fundraising events which are well attended by members of the local community.
Therese’s nieces and nephews now attend CCGS so it was fitting that the screening event took place there.
Tara thanked everyone who has attended any of the fundraising events over the years that have helped to fund the two- day screening event at CCGS. She also thanks everyone at CCGS who helped to organise the heart screening event and the students of Rothschild Pearce for choosing CRY as their charity.
She is planning to hold another screening event next year so more young people from Thanet get the opportunity to have their hearts screened.
CRY Information
Anyone between the age of 14 and 35 can register to have a free cardiac screening at www.testmyheart.org
For further information or to request to speak to Dr Steven Cox please call: THE CRY PRESS OFFICE: JO HUDSON ON 020 7112 4905 / 0770 948 7959: [email protected]
Find more information about CRY @ www.c-r-y.org.uk.