** Please note: This is not a School Event and therefore any queries should be directed to Ms T Coleman, Screening Events Coordinator, Cardiac Risk in the Young, telephone 01737 363222, email [email protected] **

Dear Parent(s) / Guardian(s)

RE: CRY CARDIAC TESTING AT Sir Thomas Rich's School, Oakleaze, Longlevens, Gloucester GL2 0LF on the 2nd October 2016.

I am writing to you on behalf of the charity, Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), in order to let you know about a FREE cardiac screening programme for people aged 14-35 years old that will be run at Sir Thomas Rich's School, Oakleaze, Longlevens, Gloucester GL2 0LF on the 2nd October 2016. In memory of former student Dr Jennifer Bucknell.

CRY's mission is to identify those that are at risk from sudden cardiac death. Sudden Death Syndrome is an umbrella term used for the many different types of cardiac arrest in young people. These conditions include the thickening or abnormal structure of the heart and irregularities of the impulses that upset the natural rhythm of the heart. Sporty youngsters stress their heart the most. If they have an underlying cardiac abnormality, they are more likely to be at risk. It is important to stress that exercise is NOT bad for you and sport itself does not lead to cardiac arrest, but it can act as a trigger for a young person to die suddenly by exacerbating an undetected condition.

At a screening, your son / daughter will receive an Electrocardiogram (ECG) that examines the electrical activity of the heart and if required an echocardiogram (ECHO) and physical examination.It is a non-invasive procedure that will take no more than 10 minutes to complete and is performed by qualified cardiac physiologists.

The ECG results will be examined and some individuals will be required to undertake a follow-up echocardiogram (ECHO). This is an ultrasound scan of the heart that looks at its size, structure and blood flow. All results suggesting an abnormality will then be sent to CRY's consultant cardiologist Professor Sanjay Sharma, a leading expert on inherited cardiac conditions.

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