Fan share: A very long post but after seeing a post about SIDS I would like to share my story of SADS thank you... They faced the heartache of losing their teenage son when he collapsed and died on the way home from a game of football. But the parents of Josh Fell, 15, faced more agony as their nine-year-old daughter Jasmine underwent test to see if she had the same heart condition. Now, Rich and Donna Fell have been told Jasmine has been given the all-clear after being tested for Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS) - the condition that claimed her brothers life. Rich, 40, said: They have said Jasmine is absolutely fine. It means a lot to us and we are really happy. But its the unknown. We really wanted answers as to why Josh died. I was in the resuscitation room with him and I keep thinking back to that. We still find it difficult because there is nothing to blame. Josh, of Hornsea, had been playing football with his friends one night in June and sat down to rest on the grass after complaining of feeling tired. His friends thought he had fallen asleep, but when they turned him over, he had gone blue. They called an ambulance before attempting to resuscitate him. Josh, who did not have any other major problems, suffered from an irregular heart rhythm. Unless it is immediately regulated by specialists, it cannot be treated. In July, tests revealed Jasmine also had an irregular heart rhythm, which could have meant she had a rare heart condition, and had to undergo further checks. She was prescribed beta blockers but no longer has to take any medication. However, she will now be monitored every year until she is about 17 to check for heart conditions. Rich and Donna also face one more test. Donna, 37, said: It is what caused SADS that we dont know. Its quite frustrating that we still dont have any answers. We thought the tests might have shown something up. Since Josh died, the family have been fundraising and campaigning for screening tests to be carried out among young people in East Yorkshire. They have raised £10,606 through donations and fundraising events. Now £5,000 will be donated to the Cardiac Risk in the Young charity and the rest of the money will be spent on a two-day screening event in Hornsea. Two hundred people aged 14 to 35 will be screened for heart rate abnormalities, which could lead to other heart conditions. People will be able to register through the charitys website before screening in April. Rich said: We want to bring this unit to Hornsea every year and that is what we are going to do for the rest of our lives. We dont want anyone else to go through what we are going through. I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 15 weeks. Up to 500 people affected by heart problem each year Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS) causes one in every 20 deaths in the UK each year. Up to 500 people are affected by the condition each year. The charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) has been campaigning for more than 15 years and champions research into SADS. It has led the European Society of Cardiology and International Olympic Committee to recommend cardiac screening for any young person taking part in competitive sport. In Italy, screening sports participants is mandatory and there are moves in Scotland to have the same processes put in place. Sudden Death Syndrome is an umbrella term used for the many different causes of cardiac arrest in young people. CRY provides medical information on the most common causes of unexpected sudden cardiac death in people under the age of 35. for information on SADS , call 01737 363 222, visit c-r-y.org.uk or email [email protected] -holly
Posted on: Thu, 31 Oct 2013 12:38:31 +0000
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