ABOUT US

Preventing Premature Sudden Death

The cardiac charity SADS UK aims to save lives, providing information, funding research and medical equipment to prevent premature sudden cardiac death. Working in the areas of Research, Prevention and Emergency Care lives have been saved as a direct result of the work of SADS UK. SADS UK holds the Annual National Lifesaver Awards to honour people who have saved lives in the community using CPR and the defibrillator.

SADS UK highlights the fact that young people and even children can be affected by potentially fatal cardiac conditions. SADS UK is one of the founder members of SADS International, a worldwide network of SADS Organisations. The SADS Organisations are led by people who have been affected personally by SADS, or work closely with those who have.

SADS information and support

Providing information and supporting individuals and families affected by cardiac arrest, cardiac conditions or a sudden cardiac death is a very important part of the work of SADS UK.

The charity is a leading provider of medical information relating to SADS, Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome. SADS UK has six Medical Advisors who have expertise in cardiac conditions that may precipitate a SADS death if not identified and treated.

SADS UK provides:

• BACP qualified counsellors
• Support contacts – you can be introduced to people (with mutual consent) affected in a similar way to yourself
• Get-together ‘Retreats’ for people who have been bereaved

Research

Thanks to research we now know about many of the faulty genes that cause an inherited heart condition. By finding these genes, researchers can produce genetic tests to help find family members also affected by an inherited condition. But more still needs to be done. SADS UK works with major Heart Hospitals around the country, providing funding for projects that deepen the understanding of cardiac arrhythmia and genetic conditions that can cause Sudden Cardiac Arrest or SADS, sudden cardiac death.

The SADS UK Big Shock Campaign

SADS UK promotes teaching of ‘The Warning Signs’ by medical and first aid training schools and distributes ‘The Warning Signs’ to schools, youth organisations and more widely in the community to help identify people at risk so that they may be treated.

The SADS UK Big Shock Campaign aims for all schools to have life-saving defibrillators on the premises and urges Government to legislate to make this compulsory. SADS UK continues to work with schools installing defibrillators to help save young lives. This initiative has the support of the Ambulance Services, the charity’s Patron Dr Hilary Jones, Good Morning Britain and Dame Helen Mirren who heads the SADS UK Defibrillator Leaflet.

SADS UK installs defibrillators widely in the community (Community Public Access Defibrillators – CPADs), placing them in a cabinet so that they are available to the public any time of day or night.

SADS UK holds conferences to educate and provide information and updates.

Projects with lifesaving potential

The charity will set up a memorial fund or a community fund and help you every step of the way to:

• Install a defibrillator in your school, workplace, gym, etc
• Place a Community Public Access Defibrillator (CPAD) in their locality
• Provide heart monitoring to a surgery or hospital
• Raise funds to support research into SADS (Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome)y
• Support Pathology

useful links

stop sads uk manifesto Raising awareness