A MOTHER who endured the trauma of watching her 16-year-old son die in front of her eyes has raised almost £20,000 to help make sure no other parents have to suffer the same pain.

Nine years ago, popular teen Graham Cataldo Davies collapsed while out jogging near his family home in Nailsworth.

Despite desperate resuscitation attempts by both his mother Suzanne and paramedics, he was pronounced dead at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital just over an hour later.

After baffled doctors initially struggled to identify the cause of death, specialists discovered a rare abnormality in the electrical system of his heart which caused Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndrome (SADS).

Since that fateful day Suzanne has made it her mission to do all she can to make sure no other parents have to go through that suffering.

With the help of family and friends she has raised a total of £18,000 in her son’s memory for charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) - which supports research into SADS and works on prevention.

Now the determined mother-of-two is using £3000 of that money to fund a one-off screening day at Wynstones School in Whaddon on Saturday, October 8.

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“We want to wake people up and make sure this doesn’t happen to anyone else,” said Suzanne, who lives in Walkley Wood, Nailsworth.

“Every week, twelve fit and healthy young people die suddenly of previously undetected heart conditions in the UK.

“This is about saving lives. Even if we are able to catch one person with the condition it will all have been worth it.

“The screening will be held in the memory of my son Graham. Hopefully his story will urge others to come forward and get checked.

“SADS is notoriously difficult to detect. Luckily we will have a world-leading team of doctors Saint George's hospital in London on hand, who will be using state-of-the-art technology for Electrocardiogram (ECG) screening to look for cardiac problems.

“During this time we will be able to screen 100 people. It will also be an opportunity for people to chat to the doctors about the condition and learn to recognise possible symptoms like fainting, chest pain and breathlessness.”

The screening is completely free, takes 20 minutes to perform and runs from 9am-3.50pm. It is open to anyone between the ages of 14 and 35.

People can book a place by visiting goo.gl/gUrSR6. There are still a few places available.

An ECG test is a simple way to identify the vast majority of abnormalities that can cause sudden deaths in young people.

The test is quick, non-invasive and painless and if necessary a further echocardiogram can be taken on the same day to provide further clarity or reassurance.

Chief executive of CRY, Dr Steven Cox, said: “The death of a young person is heart-breaking and devastating for any family.

“It is therefore essential that anyone with a potentially fatal heart condition knows about it.

“Without this knowledge and, if necessary, appropriate treatment, they could be putting their lives at risk as in 80 per cent of cases there are no signs or symptoms.

“Sport itself does not actually cause sudden cardiac death but it can significantly increase a young person’s risk if they have an underlying condition.

“However, research carried out by CRY has also shown that a large number of these deaths will also occur when a young person is at rest or even sleeping.”

One in every 300 of the young people that CRY tests will be identified with a potentially life threatening condition.

Suzanne added that the rest of the money raised has been put into a trust fund for CRY. It will be used for future screening events.

For more information on CRY and to search for future screenings in Gloucestershire visit: c-r-y.org.uk/