Heart screening in Gideon's memory (From Echo)

Heart screening in Gideon's memory

9:00am Sunday 3rd February 2013 in Local News

Gideon Baws who died in 2008 of an undiagnosed heart condition

PARENTS whose eldest son died suddenly of an undiagnosed heart condition are urging people to attend a heart screening session.

Friends and family of Gideon Baws, who died aged 33 in October 2008, have raised enough money in his memory to fund and hold the first of many cardiac screenings.

Tony and Sue Baws, of Elm Road, Leigh, decided after his death to raise awareness and money for Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) who work to promote the importance of a quick ECG to detect any heart conditions.

Gideon died of cardiomyopathy, which was triggered by an infection.

The first will be held on Saturday March 9 at Leigh Primary Care Centre.

Mr Baws, 72, said: “Gideon’s fund is paying the money to provide this session which falls near his birthday March 3.

“Since Gideon died there have been other near misses and tragedies including the footballer Fabrice Muamba who collapsed in front of millions of people.

“Sadly not everyone makes it but such simple routine screening can help save lives.”

CRY says a simple and quick ECG test could save the lives of the 12 healthy young people that die each week in the UK from undiagnosed heart conditions. Young people between the age of 14 and 35 years of age are urged to get screened particularly if they take part in sport.

Gideon formed Shynola an animation company with friends from university, they were working on ideas for their first full-length feature film when he became unwell and died in hospital in Las Vegas

To book a check visit www.testmyheart.org