Family’s hard-won lifeline to young

Sep 10 2008 by Daniel Thomson, The Journal

A COUPLE who lost their son to a rare heart disorder presented a hospital with a £40,000 machine last night to help prevent other sudden deaths in young people.

Richard Allan was just 16 when he collapsed and died at home in West Moor, North Tyneside, from an undiagnosed heart condition known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a form of sudden adult death syndrome.

Since his death in September 2000, his parents Mandy and Denis and brother Stephen have worked tirelessly to increase awareness of the condition and raise money for their ultimate goal of having all young people screened free by the NHS.

Last night, the Richard Allan Memorial Fund, which has already financed screening of more than 100 young people, presented Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital with a £40,000 portable Echo machine. This will be used by heart specialist Dr Antoinette Kenny in a pilot screening scheme for young people who belong to a sports club to ensure they are not at risk from SADS, which kills 400 young people a year.

Denis and Mandy are acutely aware of the need. After George Stephenson High School pupil Richard was found dead at his computer by his mother, the entire family was screened and his older brother Stephen was found to have a similar condition. He has now been fitted with a defibrillator to start his heart if it ever faltered and the family know many young people could be saved in this way.

Denis said: “We are appealing to all North East sports clubs to approach us and we will see if we can sponsor an initial group of their kids over 16.” To learn how your club can join, call Dr Kenny’s secretary, (0191) 213-7542, or see http:// uk.msnusers.com/richardallan-memorialfund