Mum urges heart screening after son's sudden death

"The police told me it was a sudden death - the worst knock on the door that any parent dreads."

Sue Carter's son Ryan died in 2019 from sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS), a condition which claims the lives of about 500 people in the UK every year.

The 25-year-old, from Totton, Hampshire, was a "very bright, fit and healthy young man" but, when his girlfriend found him unresponsive one afternoon, "nothing could bring him back" despite medical help, said his mum.

Ms Carter has raised £25,000 so far to fund heart screening days for young people in the area and Sunday's Totton Running Club annual fundraiser for cardiac risk in the young will also remember her son.

On the day he died, Mr Carter was at the home of his girlfriend, who found him unresponsive after coming out of the bathroom, said his mum.

"There was no prior warning to this, he had no pains, no symptoms, his heart just turned off," she said.

"Air ambulance arrived, his girlfriend thought that he'd be okay but nothing could bring him back."

Ms Carter said a post-mortem examination revealed no cause of death, "like he's just gone to sleep".

The mum said she was referred to the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young by the coroner from her son's inquest.

"It's just a heart rhythm change and this can be prevented by having a heart screening," Ms Carter said she learned about the condition.

"I didn't know about it before - if I knew and if he knew, he would have had it [screening] done."

In the past three years, Ms Carter has raised £25,000, running her first heart screening event at Totton College in July.

Some 105 people were screened at the event and every young person was also seen by a cardiologist, she said.

Ms Carter called on anybody in the area aged between 14 and 35 to take part in the next screening event on 18 July 2026.

She told the BBC six people had received major hospital referrals for ongoing treatment and 23 had been referred to a GP as a result of her summer event.

"At each screen day, there's people that are saved from the sudden death," she said.

"If you do get picked up, it means they can treat you."

The grieving mum urged anyone who spots the 40 runners - many dressed as witches and wizards - taking part in Sunday's charity run through Totton and Calmore to cheer them on and consider making a donation.

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