On Sunday 5th November 2017 from 9am to 4pm the club will be hosting a medical team from the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) who will be carrying out a day of screening tests for people aged 14–35 years old. You can book a test by appointment ONLY. Here's how to book.

If you would like to have yourself or your son/daughter tested you should complete the following:
Please click here or go to www.testmyheart.org.uk

1. At the top of the page is the header “PRIVATE SCREENINGS”, click on this link and you will see Teddington RFC listed for the 5th November 2017.

2. Click on the name and you will be asked for a password, this is Teddington0517. Please ensure the first letter of the password is capitalised. Click on the “Places Available” link and choose a time slot. Please do not give out this password as this screening is PRIVATE.

3. Fill in the required details and then click book.

4. You will receive a pending email which means the appointment is booked (please check your junk email folder if you do not receive this in your inbox).

5. Nearer the time of the screening you will be sent a confirmation email; this will include a medical questionnaire and consent form. Please download the documents, read carefully, complete the required information and take them with you on the day.

6. There will be a charge of £40 per test which will be collected on the day and this is to help cover the cost of having the screening team at the club for the day.

CRY’s mission is to identify those that are at risk from sudden cardiac death. Sudden death syndrome is an umbrella term for the many different causes of young sudden cardiac death. These conditions include thickening of the heart muscle or an abnormal structure of the heart, and irregularities of the impulses that control the rhythm of the heart. Youngsters involved in sport, in particular, stress their heart the most and if they have an underlying cardiac abnormality, they are more likely to be at risk. It is important to emphasise that exercise is NOT harmful and sport itself does not cause cardiac arrest, but can exacerbate an undetected condition. At a screening, your son/daughter will receive an electrocardiogram (ECG) that examines the electrical activity of the heart, and if required, an echocardiogram, as well as a physical examination. The ECG is a simple, non-invasive and painless test that will only take a few minutes to complete and is performed by qualified cardiac physiologists.

The ECG results will be examined by a doctor in conjunction with a personal and family history questionnaire, and if a more detailed picture is needed some individuals will be required to undertake a follow-up echocardiogram. This is an ultrasound scan of the heart that looks at its size, structure and blood flow and takes about 30 minutes to perform. All results suggesting an abnormality will then be sent to CRY Consultant Cardiologist Professor Sanjay Sharma, a leading expert on inherited cardiac conditions.

If you would like any additional information about cardiac screening please visit www.c-r-y.org.uk/cardiac-screening.