Ten Year Milestone for Memorial Cardiac Screenings at Sheffield Girls’

At the beginning of term we were delighted to welcome back the cardiac screening team from CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) for the 10th year in memory of pupil Alexandra Reid who sadly passed away unexpectedly in 2012 the night before sitting her final GCSE exam.

Thanks to the fundraising efforts of Alex’s Mum, Heather, we have been able to host a screening each year in conjunction with a memorial netball tournament held at school on the same day. Each year the sun shines and teams of our budding sports stars enjoy a morning of fun - and fierce - competition. It is a wonderful way for the school community to fundraise to support such an important cause, for the girls to catch up with friends and share stories about Alex and, crucially, for many young people to have the opportunity to be screened for undiagnosed cardiac conditions. 

This year the tournament, held on Saturday 28th September, was closely fought with Woodhouse Grove School winning both the Performance and Social categories. Through entrance fees, cake sales, personal donations and an auction of a signed photo of Andy Murray, a total of £1,650 was raised. 

CRY screenings, which are available to young people aged 14-35, aim to identify those at risk from sudden cardiac death. Young people involved in sport, who may put more stress on their heart, are more likely to be at risk if they have an underlying cardiac abnormality. 

At a screening, all individuals receive an ECG that examines the electrical activity of the heart, and if required, an echocardiogram, as well as a physical examination. Results suggesting any abnormality will then be passed to a CRY Consultant Cardiologist for follow up. 

This year, 101 people were screened at our event with 4 receiving onward referrals. Since Alex’s untimely death, over 1,000 young people have been screened at the School thanks in no small part to the significant efforts of Mr and Mrs Reid, Alex’s parents. They have both worked tirelessly in Alex’s memory and in support of their daughter Jen, who was also a student at the school, to fundraise and raise awareness of the work of CRY.

Thank you to Mrs and Mr Reid for their continued support for this event and to the wonderful CRY screening team who were as fantastic as always. We are already looking forward to next year’s event on Saturday 13th September.

For more information about cardiac screening and to make a donation to the Alex Reid Memorial CRY Fund please visit https://www.c-r-y.org.uk/alex-reid/