In memory of my late partner James Sheppard, we're raising money for Cardiac Risk in the Young to fund cardiac screening sessions for young people in and around Sherwood in Nottingham.

On April 17th 2021, James passed away unexpectedly at our home in Sherwood at the age of 30 from Sudden Arrythmic Death Syndrome. 12 fit and healthy people under 35 like James die every week in the UK from a young sudden cardiac death, and we want to help reduce that number by offering free screenings for local young people.

What is SADS?

Sudden Arrythmic Death Syndrome is a type of young sudden cardiac death. It's when someone dies suddenly and unexpectedly from a cardiac arrest but the cause can’t be found. It's often due to an electrical fault in the heart that can't be picked up at post mortem, which is why heart screenings for young people are absolutely vital in diagnosing heart conditions before it's too late. In 80% of cases of young sudden cardiac death there are no prior symptoms of a heart defect, so without testing there may be no way of knowing a young person's risk of sudden cardiac death. James had no warning signs whatsoever, but if he had been screened he might still be with us.

Cardiac screenings

A simple way to diagnose most cardiac abnormalities is a quick, painless and non-invasive test called an electrocardiogram (ECG) which records the electrical activity of the heart. Once detected, preventative or therapeutic interventions can be implemented and the disease can be treated while it is less advanced. 1 in 300 young people screened have a potentially fatal underlying heart condition.

Where will the money go?

All funds raised will go to Cardiac Risk in the Young. The first £1500 raised will go to CRY's core costs (funding life saving work such as research, awareness raising, screenings, and support for bereaved families). Then the next £6,000 will fund a cardiac screening event to test 100 local young people for potentially fatal underlying cardiac conditions. These screenings will be available for anyone to sign up to via the CRY website when the event has been funded and the date confirmed.

If we can raise a further £6,000 we will be able to do a whole weekend of screenings.

James Sheppard

I think it's fair to say that everyone who knew James liked him. He was kind, laid back, patient, funny, creative, and smart, and had a calming presence that made everyone feel at ease. He was a talented artist, photographer and writer, an incredible cook, and loved music, gaming and finding a good bargain. Whenever he picked up a new hobby he threw himself into it entirely, always smiling. He packed a lot into the 30 years we were lucky enough to have him. We all just wish he had more.