PICTURED outside Downing Street is Jonny Lewis, originally from Kilgetty. Jonny was recently invited to attend a reception at Downing Street to launch a new cardiac screening initiative between the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), the English Football Association (FA), Professional Footballers Association (PFA) and the Football Foundation. The reception was hosted by The Secretary of State for Media, Culture and Sport - the Rt. Hon. Andy Burnham MP and attended by families who had lost relatives whilst playing football. Also in attendance were MP's and CRY patrons, including David Walliams (actor), Pat Jennings (football), Jeremy Bates (tennis) and Simon Halliday (rugby). In October 2002, Jonny's brother Huw died whilst playing football in Saudi Arabia. Huw was a hugely popular man who had represented Pembrokeshire at football and cricket and was widely known in local sporting circles. Huw was diagnosed as having Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), a condition that affects the functioning of the heart and which can result in Sudden Cardiac Death (or Sudden Adult Death Syndrome). It is currently estimated that this condition claims the lives of at least eight apparently fit and healthy people, aged 35 or under, in the UK every week. Since Huw's death, various fund-raising events have taken place, including an annual six-a-side football tournament each May, in Kilgetty and an annual cricket and football match in August. In addition to these activities, Jonny and several of Huw's friends have also run the London Marathon. The majority of the monies raised these last five years (totalling over £15,000 to date) have been donated to CRY, who campaign to raise awareness of the issues surrounding Sudden Cardiac Death and who also are striving to increase the amount of simple cardiac screening that can detect such conditions. Thanks to the funds raised through these events, CRY brought a mobile screening unit and staff to the 2006 six-a-side tournament and screened almost 100 individuals in one day. CRY's decision to invite Jonny to this high profile event in London reflects the incredible hard work and dedication shown by a large number of Huw's friends in raising funds on behalf of CRY over the last five years. Jonny and his family would like to express their particular thanks and gratitude to Neil Proctor, Dean Rossiter, Barry Lewis, Bobby Bevan and Paul Mansbridge for their continued hard work in ensuring that these annual sporting events continue to take place. The sixth Annual Huw Lewis Six-a-Side Tournament is scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 24, at Kingsmoor Sports Ground, Kilgetty. Please contact Neil Proctor or Dean Rossiter, c/o Kilgetty Football Club, for entry forms and tournament details.
