Cardiac screening available for DMU staff and students

Every week at least 12 young people are lost to an undiagnosed heart condition. Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) is a charity which aims to prevent sudden cardiac deaths through awareness, screening and research and they will be on campus on Tuesday 8 October offering cardiac screening to staff and students up to and including 35 years of age.

There is a simple way to diagnose most cardiac abnormalities and this is by having an ECG (electrocardiogram) test. CRY screenings include a medical history questionnaire and an ECG which is carried out on the day. Any underlying heart conditions can then be identified and if necessary, treated.

The screening at DMU has been organised by Alan Gore, the father of DMU student Matt who sadly passed away in April 2018 from an undiagnosed heart condition.

Alan said: “This is a picture of Matt taken on 2 April 2018, 24 hours later we lost Matt. 

On 3 April the unthinkable happened. We had no idea Matt had any health or heart conditions until he was taken to hospital that night. 

We have since found out Matt’s aorta had burst, a condition Matt could have had since birth, a ticking time bomb. 

For all intents and purposes Matt was a fit and healthy young lad playing sport, playing in his band and enjoying life as a third year DMU student. 

Since we lost Matt, a memorial fund has been set up with the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young in Matt’s name to screen young people between 14 and 35 years of age. 

CRYs aim is to prevent as many young people losing their lives as possible through screening days and research. 

Through some amazing people raising a lot of money in Matt’s name, we are trying to save others from suffering as Matt has.”

Booking for screening appointments will open from 10am on Tuesday 10 September. Appointments are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. To book, you need to follow these steps:

1. Visit www.testmyheart.org.uk/private/

2. Find listed De Montfort University for the 8 October 2024. Click Register.

3. The password for this screening is MATT2024

4. Select a time slot and click ‘register now’. (You can book up to three appointments at one time.)

5. Fill in the required details on the health questionnaire – this will take approximately 15 minutes.

6. Once the appointment is booked, you’ll receive a confirmation email; this will include a consent form. Please download the document and read it carefully before completing and taking it with you on the day.

If the person being screened is 16 or over, self-consent will be needed. You can find additional information about cardiac screening here. Alternatively, you can contact a member of the CRY screening team on ecg@c-r-y.org.uk or call 020 3691 0000.

Please note that if a diagnosis of a cardiac condition is confirmed it can have serious implications with regard to life insurance and mortgage applications.

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 [LC1]This paragraph is relevant to staff only