Top Soap Star To Be Screened By Experts From Leading Heart Charity In Memory Of Friend

Trinity PR is delighted to be part of leading heart charity Cardiac Risk in the Young’s (CRY) latest project in its ongoing campaign to raise awareness and to screen more young people potentially at risk from undiagnosed heart conditions across Yorkshire.

A simple and quick ECG test could save the lives of the 12 “apparently fit and healthy” young people that die each week in the UK from undiagnosed heart conditions. This Sunday (15th September), star of ITV’s Coronation Street Colson Smith (who plays Craig Tinker) will help boost these efforts by joining around 100 other young men, women and teenagers aged between 14 and 35 from across the region who will be screened by the expert team from CRY.

The screening day will once again be held by the family and friends of local man Rory Embling, who tragically died in May 2014 from a previously undiagnosed heart condition aged just 26. Colson, born and bred in Castleford, was a great friend of Rory; they were both staunch Leeds United fans and were both involved with Castleford Cricket Club.

Rory’s dad, Chris Embling (who famously built a pub in a shed a.k.a. “Rory’s Return” in the back garden of the family’s home to raise money for CRY in August 2015), says; “We are delighted that Colson – fondly known as Craig to so many of us Corrie fans in Yorkshire and across the UK – is so publicly lending his support to our weekend of screening, as well as taking the wise decision, as a 21 year old, to be screened himself.”

An ECG test is the gold standard diagnostic test used by CRY’s screening team to identify abnormalities that can cause sudden deaths in young people. The test is quick, non-invasive and, if necessary, a further Echocardiogram can be taken on the same day to provide further clarity or reassurance. Thanks to Professor Sanjay Sharma, Professor of Inherited Cardiovascular Disease and Sports Cardiology at St George’s University of London, Medical Director of the Virgin London Marathon and overseer of CRY’s screening programme, CRY can subsidise the programme significantly as she makes no charge for her work. Privately, these tests could cost hundreds of pounds.

Chief Executive of CRY, Dr. Steven Cox, concludes: “CRY now tests around 30,000 young people, aged 14-35, annually. But we still believe screening needs to be extended to all young people”.

Any local person between the age of 14 and 35 can register to have a free cardiac screening at www.testmyheart.org