Cara Group has announced a partnership with Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) to raise essential funds and awareness for the prevention of sudden cardiac death in young people. These funds will support CRY’s vital work, including cardiac screening events to identify undiagnosed heart conditions in young people.

This decision follows the tragic loss of Cara Group’s Managing Director, Neil Allen’s 19-year-old daughter, Olivia, who passed away from cardiac arrest in June 2024. Known to her family and friends as Liv, she was a bright and ambitious young woman with a passion for veterinary medicine and a deep love for animals.

Neil said: “Losing Liv has been the most devastating experience of my life. No family should have to go through this heartbreak and that’s why I’m determined to do whatever I can to support CRY and their vital work. The entire team at Cara has been incredibly supportive, rallying behind this cause and helping to raise awareness and funds. We hope to make a real difference - one that could prevent another family from enduring the same unimaginable loss.”

The charity also provides bereavement support for affected families and funds medical research into the causes of young sudden cardiac death. On average, 12 apparently healthy young people die from undiagnosed cardiac conditions each week in the UK - a statistic CRY is working tirelessly to change.

Neil added: “CRY’s work is so important - their screening programmes save lives and their support for families who have experienced the loss of a loved one is invaluable. We hope to give more young people the chance to live full lives and prevent other families from facing such heartache.

“In Liv’s case, a light has gone out, without so much as a flicker, but what remains is the precious memory of how brightly it shone and the warmth it gave.”