More than 210 young people aged between 14 and 35 have been screened for undetected heart conditions during a very special memorial event held at the Pear Tree Centre.
The screening took place in memory of much-loved footballer Toby Chenery during February. Over two days, 211 young people had an electrocardiogram, with 11 then referred on to a GP or hospital for further investigation – potentially saving their lives.
The event was organised by Toby’s family in partnership with CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young). The screenings were paid for with a portion of a staggering £49,433 raised in Toby’s memory after the 23-year-old passed away suddenly in his sleep last February. Sadly, Toby suffered with an undiagnosed heart condition and had been asymptomatic his whole life.
The event at the Pear Tree Centre was the first in a series of screenings that Toby’s family are funding to detect similar conditions in other young people.
They said: “It was a very emotional weekend for us all as none of it would have happened if we hadn’t lost our beautiful boy almost a year ago. Toby was a kind, caring and generous soul and the legacy we’ve been able to create is a tribute to him in every way.
“We’d like to say thank you to everyone who has donated – we appreciate every single penny. We’d also like to thank the Pear Tree Centre for letting us use the building. It couldn’t have been more perfect and gave a lot of people the opportunity to visit the centre who had never been before.”
During the weekend, Toby’s family also raised more than £550 by selling CRY wristbands and collecting donations, all of which will help pay for future screenings. To make a donation, click here. You can visit Toby’s memorial page here.