4th August 2026:  Every day, strong and healthy young people die suddenly from heart conditions they didn’t know they had.  Not-for-profit organisation TOBE-Heartsafe www.tobe-heartsafe.org.uk  is on a mission to provide cardiac screening, CPR training and defibrillators for schools and sports clubs up and the down the country.  This August its medical teams are giving free cardiac screening to 100 students on the Brunel University London and Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club academy scheme.

It’s thanks to the generosity of friends and supporters at TOBE Heartsafe’s annual fundraiser earlier this year that free community screening and basic life support training can be given.  Prominent cardiologist and research fellow Dr Hamish MacLachlan from St Barts Hospital is leading the community screening on Brunel University’s campus, alongside specialist cardiac physiologists and nurses. The on-site screening of a BP check and 12 lead ECG aims to detect any underlying cardiac condition and the cardiologist’s expertise is essential to reduce incidence and differentiate between pathological and physiological cardiac changes – particularly for those involved in sport.   

Dr Hamish MacLachlan confirms the importance of screening and training,  “The aim of screening is to identify seemingly healthy young people who may have an underlying heart condition that could place them at risk of sudden cardiac death. Finding these conditions early allows individuals to receive the right advice, treatment and follow-up, helping to reduce the risk of a life-threatening event before it happens.

“Screening with a health questionnaire and ECG has the potential to identify most conditions associated with sudden cardiac death in young people. Sadly, however, it will not prevent every tragedy. Some heart conditions may not be detectable at the time of screening, while others can develop after screening has taken place. That is why the most effective programmes combine primary prevention through heart screening with secondary prevention through CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) training.

“TOBE recognises that both are essential. Through its dedicated team, the organisation provides high-quality cardiac screening alongside CPR and AED education, helping to identify young people at risk while ensuring that more people have the skills and confidence to respond if a cardiac arrest occurs. Importantly, TOBE’s community-focused “buy one, donate one/some” model means that every screening programme also helps create opportunities for young people who might not otherwise have access to these potentially life-saving services, extending the benefits far beyond those who are screened themselves arrives.”

The team plan to expand the programme in an ongoing partnership and hope to offer Basic Life Support Training later this year.