Grieving parents help hundreds get hearts screened

Gill and Steve Ayling founded the charity The Beat Goes On 31 after their son, Nathan, died in 2019 from an undiagnosed heart condition

A couple who lost their son to an undiagnosed heart condition have helped screen hundreds of people in the hope of sparing others from the pain they felt.

Gill and Steve Ayling, from Scawby, North Lincolnshire, founded their charity, called The Beat Goes On 31, after their son Nathan Bryan died in 2019, aged 31.

A two-day screening event began in Scunthorpe earlier and will continue on Wednesday, with about 200 people due to be seen with the support of Cardiac Risk in the Young, a national charity.

Ms Ayling said: "After Nathan died, the grief and the sorrow was absolutely immense. We want to stop any other family going through what we've had to go through – even if it's just one person."

The charity had previously funded screenings for more than 600 people between the ages of 14-35. Forty-five of them were referred for extra tests.

Ms Ayling said: "Please get your heart screened. It is an invisible killer and you can be saved."

Nathan was just 31 when he died

Claire, 33, from Scunthorpe, attended one of the screenings.

The Beat Goes on 31 paid for her six-year-old daughter, Gracie, to have a private scan after she started having heart palpitations. She was too young for a regular screening.

Claire said Gracie had now been given the all clear.

"We're just so grateful. We didn't know what to do," she added. "It was affecting Gracie daily."

Max Bell, 32, from Scunthorpe, also attended the screening event earlier.

He said: "The son of the campaigners who died was the same age as me. I think when it's somebody your age... that really hits home."

Claire said she wanted to be checked after seeing what her daughter Gracie went through

Every week, 12 young people aged 35 and under die suddenly from a previously undiagnosed heart condition in the UK, according to Cardiac Risk in the Young.

The Beat Goes On 31 is calling for the government to introduce cardiac screening for all young people from the age of 16.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: "We would like to express our heartfelt sympathy to Steve and Gill following the loss of their son Nathan.

"The UK National Screening Committee is currently reviewing the evidence for Sudden Cardiac Death screening and will open a public consultation in due course."

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