M&S announce partnership with heart charity CRY

Marks & Spencer Northern Ireland has revealed a new partnership with leading heart charity, Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), an organisation who aim to prevent young sudden cardiac deaths through awareness, screening and research, as well offering specialist support to affected families and young people. The development comes after M&S Newtownbreda Foodhall Manager, Matthew Thompson, tragically died from a previously undiagnosed heart condition while jogging on the Lagan Towpath in June last year. Pictured are Lauren McCaughtry, Matthew's partner and fellow M&S employee, and M&S Head of Region, Ryan Lemon, as they announce the partnership.

Marks & Spencer Coleraine has revealed a new partnership with leading heart charity, Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), an organisation who aim to prevent young sudden cardiac deaths through awareness, screening and research, as well as offering specialist support to affected families and young people.

The development comes after M&S Newtownbreda Foodhall Manager, Matthew Thompson, tragically died from a previously undiagnosed heart condition while jogging on the Lagan Towpath in June last year. Matthew was only 39 years old.

M&S Coleraine will now work with CRY on a number of initiatives, including heart screening for Matthew’s colleagues and various fundraising drives throughout the year.

Following Matthew’s death, M&S has also installed public access defibrillators in all of Northern Ireland’s 20 stores, as well as trained over 200 members of staff in their emergency use, as part of its commitment to preventing sudden cardiac death. A defibrillator is a life-saving device which delivers a high-current shock to someone who is going into cardiac arrest, to re-start the heart or return it to its normal rhythm.

Immediately after Matthew’s death a fundraising page was set up to help bring CRY’s pioneering screening service to M&S in Northern Ireland.

Ciaran O Dubhthaigh, M&S Coleraine Store Manager, said: “Matthew’s death was a shock not only to his colleagues at M&S Newtownbreda, but to the entire M&S community. He passed away due to an undiagnosed heart condition and we are taking the steps to help prevent that happening to others.

“We have established an ongoing partnership with CRY to support the services they offer, and our first joint event will be to provide heart screening for members of Matthew’s team. This will be taking place in M&S Lisburn over the next few weeks.”