Heart screenings for younger folk postponed

PLANS to hold heart screenings for younger people in Shetland this year have been put on hold due to the pandemic.

The group Shetland Heart Screening had hoped to hold screenings in May after fundraising tens of thousands of pounds.

But the coronavirus pandemic and its associated restrictions has meant that these have now been postponed.

“As you are all aware of the current Covid-19 situation, we have not been able to continue with our fundraising and screening plans as we had hoped,” the group said.

“So it will come as no surprise that we are unfortunately having to postpone the 2021 heart screening in Shetland in the interests of everyone involved.

“We are gutted this has had to happen after such amazing support from everyone, but unfortunately it is out with our control.

“At the moment we are unable to book a future date, but rest assured it will happen and we will update you all as and when we can.”

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The group was formed a couple of years ago by Siobhan Pirie from Gulberwick, whose husband John Pirie (PJ) unexpectedly passed away in 2017 at the age of just 29 after suffering a cardiac arrest.

She began looking into ways to offer a free heart screening for everyone in Shetland aged between 14 and 35 in memory of her husband.

The charity Cardiac Risk in the Young gave the go-ahead for its screening events to come to Shetland, but money needed to be in place for this to happen – leading to a successful fundraising drive involving the local community.