The Silent Killer Claiming Young Lives: A Call for National Heart Screening
Hundreds of young people die each year from undetected heart conditions. Grieving families are now demanding a national cardiac screening programme for all over-14s.
Young, Fit, and Gone Without Warning
Adam Ankers was 17 years old, passionate about football, and full of potential. Matthew Dunning was 20, studying physics with astrophysics at university, and by all accounts loving every moment of his life. The two young men never crossed paths, yet they share a devastating fate — both lost their lives to sudden cardiac arrest caused by undiagnosed heart conditions.
Their stories are heartbreaking, but they are far from isolated. In the United Kingdom, approximately 600 people under the age of 35 die each year from sudden cardiac arrest linked to hidden heart conditions. That translates to roughly two young lives lost every single day.
Families Fighting for Change
The bereaved families of both Adam and Matthew are channelling their grief into action. Alongside the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), they are advocating for greater research funding and, most urgently, the introduction of a national cardiac screening programme for all young people aged 14 and over.
For Adam's family, the pain is compounded by the belief that his death was preventable — not once, but several times over.
Adam Ankers: A Series of Missed Opportunities
Adam had been a dedicated footballer from an early age, playing for Risborough Rangers in Buckinghamshire before progressing to Wycombe Wanderers' under-19s foundation team. He was also completing a BTEC diploma in sport at Henley College when tragedy struck.
On 31 January 2024, Adam collapsed on the pitch during the second half of a match, complaining of chest pains. What followed was a sequence of critical failures that his father, Alastair, describes with painful clarity.
"When they got to Adam's side he was cold, blue — but the defibrillator was open out of the box next to him and not connected," Alastair recalled. "Had they connected it, it would have delivered a shock and told them to carry on CPR. The device that could have saved him was there, but it wasn't used."
Adam was rushed to hospital, where he was found to have suffered unsurvivable brain damage. He passed away on 4 February 2024.
A System That Let Him Down
The subsequent inquest painted a troubling picture. Neither the coaches present nor the emergency call handler recognised that Adam's irregular, shallow breathing was a classic sign of cardiac arrest. There was also apparent confusion over whether a defibrillator could safely be used on a teenager — it could.
The coroner ruled that the failure to identify Adam's cardiac arrest "more than minimally" contributed to his death, and issued several recommendations to prevent similar tragedies, including mandatory cardiac arrest training for all football coaches and referees, right down to grassroots level.
The Football Association, which had suggested during the inquest that mandatory training could discourage young people from refereeing, stated it was reviewing the coroner's findings. Meanwhile, South Central Ambulance Service confirmed that national-level changes have since been implemented, ensuring that patients who collapse during sport are now triaged as potential cardiac arrest cases, with life support guidance — including defibrillator use — provided immediately.
A Family Secret That Could Have Changed Everything
In a heartbreaking twist, Adam's family discovered after his death that a distant relative had been diagnosed with a genetic heart condition back in 2018 — but the wider family had never been informed. Had that information been shared, Adam could have been tested, diagnosed with the same inherited condition, and given the chance to take preventative measures.
Adam's mother, Naomi Wakefield, believes a joined-up national approach is essential: "We're losing 12 to 13 children or young people a week. It needs everybody involved. The more we train and raise awareness, the more we can all work together to save lives."
Matthew Dunning: The Invisible Killer Strikes Without Warning
Two hours away in Ringwood, Hampshire, Marie and Simon Dunning are still searching for answers eight months after losing their son Matthew in September 2025.
Like Adam, Matthew was sporty and healthy — a regular footballer and golfer who was thriving in his second year at the University of Surrey. Then, one ordinary Wednesday morning, he collapsed and died in his student bedroom with no warning whatsoever.
"They call it the invisible killer," said his father, Simon. "Lots of people are in the same situation as us — their son or daughter won't show any signs at all, and then literally they will die in their sleep."
His mother Marie added: "We just didn't know it existed. We can't understand how you can have such a healthy 20-year-old there one moment and then not."
Experts found no structural abnormality in Matthew's heart and no inherited genetic condition — making his death all the more confounding. Notably, Matthew had undergone a series of tests at Salisbury Hospital in 2022 after he fainted during a tag-rugby match at school, yet nothing had indicated the danger that lay ahead.
What Is Sudden Cardiac Arrest?
Sudden cardiac arrest is a medical emergency that typically strikes without any prior warning. Unlike a heart attack, which is caused by a blockage in blood flow, cardiac arrest occurs when the heart's electrical system malfunctions, causing it to stop beating effectively. The affected person collapses suddenly, loses consciousness, and stops breathing normally.
Immediate intervention — including CPR and the use of a defibrillator — is critical to survival. Every minute without treatment reduces the chances of survival significantly.
The Case for a National Screening Programme
The central demand from families, medical professionals, and charities like CRY is clear: the UK needs a mandatory cardiac screening programme for all young people over the age of 14. Early detection of undiagnosed heart conditions could identify those at risk before tragedy strikes — potentially saving hundreds of lives each year.
With 600 young people dying annually from conditions that often go completely undetected, the human cost of inaction is undeniable. For families like the Ankers and the Dunnings, no amount of policy change will bring back those they have lost — but it may ensure that other families are spared the same devastating grief.
