A member of the Labour party is advocating for increased screenings to safeguard individuals with heart conditions after her niece’s partner tragically passed away. Amanda Hack is pushing for the implementation of a national screening program, citing statistics that reveal 12 young people under the age of 35 die suddenly each week in the UK due to undiagnosed heart issues, with 80% of these deaths occurring without any warning signs.

The initiative follows the sudden death of Isabella Wright’s boyfriend in his sleep, prompting MP Ms. Hack to emphasize the importance of preventive screenings. She highlighted the devastating impact of undiagnosed heart conditions on young individuals and stressed the need for early detection through procedures like ECG and Echocardiogram.

Drawing inspiration from Italy’s successful national screening program for young athletes, Ms. Hack underscored the potential to significantly reduce sudden cardiac deaths. Suzanne Rowan, a representative of the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the importance of testing to prevent families from experiencing the pain of losing a loved one to heart conditions.

Since its establishment in 1995, CRY has conducted heart screenings for approximately 343,000 young people, with CEO Dr. Steven Cox emphasizing the need for broader access to screenings without relying solely on fundraising efforts by bereaved families.

In response, a spokesperson from the Department of Health and Social Care expressed condolences to the family of Robert Rowan and indicated ongoing evaluations by the UK National Screening Committee regarding the evidence for screening to mitigate risks of sudden cardiac death, with plans for a public consultation in the future.