Awareness and understanding fundamental in halting loss of life

The Bristol Post on March 22

IWAS very sorry to learn of the sudden death of Jude Moore at the age of 19 years, our thoughts are with his family and friends.

SADS UK is often contacted by people whose lives have been shattered when a seemingly healthy person dies so unexpectedly.

SADS UK offers information and support to families that have been affected by a sudden death. The charity has six medical advisors who are specialists with regard to Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS).

The deaths of people who were in the limelight such as Marc Vivien Foe, Cameroonian international footballer, and Richard Butcher, player at Macclesfield Town FC, as well as the unexpected death of Stephen Gately from Boyzone have been widely reported.

However, sudden death occurs more often than is generally recognised and people from all walks of life are affected, the list of victims is long and endless; as is the passion of parents and loved ones to raise further awareness to end tragic deaths of such vibrant young people.

SADS UK is working to improve understanding of conditions and symptoms that may indicate a person is at risk.

The charity distributes ‘The Warning Signs’ to training schools, medical establishments, schools and other youth organisations and funds research into SADS. The charity especially highlights the fact that young people can suffer from cardiac conditions.

SADS UK has urged Government to introduce cardiac assessment at the GP surgery to question family and personal medical history to identify people at risk.

The charity is also urging the wide placement of defibrillators in the community and in all schools. This vital piece of equipment helped save the life of former Bolton Wanderers football player, Fabrice Muamba.

Awareness and understanding are fundamental in preventing loss of further life, both within the same family and other families as yet unaffected. The warning signs are:

» Family history of unexpected, unexplained sudden death of an apparently healthy person.

» Fainting (syncope) or seizure during physical activity, especially if it happens repeatedly.

» Fainting (syncope) or seizure resulting from emotional excitement, emotional distress, startle or on arousal from sleep.

» Consistent or unusual chest pain and/or abnormal shortness of breath during exercise.

For more information email sadsuk@btconnect.com.

Andrea Patient AED project manager

SADS UK