Ashmole & Co’s staff from across south and mid Wales will be putting on their walking shoes this month to take on the challenging 10km hike around Llys-yr-Fran Reservoir in Pembrokeshire to help raise funds for their chosen charity this year - Cardiac Risk in the Young.

Every week in the UK at least 12 young people die of undiagnosed heart conditions. Since its formation in 1995, Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) has been working to reduce the frequency of young sudden cardiac death (YSCD).

CRY supports young people diagnosed with potentially life-threatening cardiac conditions and offers bereavement support to families affected by YSCD. CRY promotes and develops heart screening programmes and funds medical research.

CRY publishes and distributes medical information written by leading cardiologists for the general public. CRY also funds specialist referral, screening and cardiac pathology services at leading UK hospitals.

Ian Badham, Partner with Ashmole and Co in the Haverfordwest and Tenby offices said: “Some of our staff, including myself, are aware of CRY and its heart screening programme. Certainly in Pembrokeshire we are very aware of the Dean Mason Memorial fund, which raises awareness and money for CRY across west Wales. We hope our clients and friends will help us to raise funds and support for the screening programme here in Wales.”

Any donations to support Ashmole & Co’s fundraising for their walk which is taking place on Friday, September 12, would be very gratefully received at the following JustGiving link: Ashmole and co is fundraising for Cardiac Risk in the Young

Daniel Mason, from Pembrokeshire, represents the Dean Mason Memorial Fund and CRY in Wales, who hopes to join Ashmole & Co staff on their fundraising walk, said: “We are very grateful to Ashmole & Co for choosing to help raise funds for CRY. Your donations will mean that we can continue to raise awareness of sudden cardiac death in young people.”

In June 2010 Daniel’s family was on holiday when his brother Dean, aged just 26, passed away from a cardiac arrest caused by an undiagnosed cardiac problem.

It was found that Dean had a slightly enlarged left ventricle and no other issue could be found as to the cause of his death. To say that this was a shock seems a huge understatement as there is no getting away from the fact this changed the family’s lives forever. After being made aware of Cardiac Risk in the Young and discovering how many families experience what they went through, the charity became a big part of their lives as a family.

Having become familiar with the work CRY do in both preventative measures and also support supplied to grieving families and friends, Daniel became involved.

When you realise that a simple screening could save a life in the space of a 10 minute appointment it’s a great incentive to get people to take the time to be screened.

To find out more about CRY’s screening programme please visit the website: Cardiac Screening - Cardiac Risk in the Young