Hansard

I congratulate Jim Hume on bringing the debate to the chamber; I know that he has had a difficult day, so I congratulate him even more for staying the course.

I pay tribute to other members of the Parliament who have raised awareness of cardiomyopathy and the work of Scottish HART. Euan Robson, one of Jim Hume’s predecessors in the Parliament, first lodged a motion on the issue in 1999, followed by Johann Lamont in 2001, me in 2003 and Rosemary Byrne in 2004.

The campaigning by outside organisations that are involved in cardiomyopathy prevention has made progress, and all parties have responded to it. I thank Malcolm Chisholm, who was then the health minister, for meeting Wilma and Kenny Gunn, who are my constituents as well as being constituents of Jim Hume.

Malcolm Chisholm—and more recently Nicola Sturgeon—gave up a lot of time to discuss the issues with them. That shows that, with a heartfelt commitment to an issue that requires attention, ordinary people can, with determination, change things in the Parliament, and it shows that politicians do listen and that there are results.

Jim Hume referred to the petition that Kenny and Wilma Gunn submitted following the tragic death of their son, Cameron, as a teenager, after taking part in very active sport, and he described how that was another step forward.

As Jim Hume said, the condition affects young people who are very active in sports. Cardiomyopathy is a thickening of the muscles in the heart that often goes undetected but is present at times of rapid growth in adolescence. It can manifest itself in the teenage years, particularly when someone is taking strenuous exercise, so a lot of young sporting people can be vulnerable to it.

Following the petition, and further meetings with and representations from Kenny and Wilma Gunn and Scottish HART, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing launched a pilot screening programme, in conjunction with health professionals and the Scottish Football Association, at Hampden park. It involved screening amateur athletes aged 16 or over for life-threatening conditions.

As a little caveat, I have some concerns about blanket screening. The pilot involved voluntary screening, but blanket screening could give rise to issues in relation to applying for jobs and insurance, when people are asked whether they have any underlying health conditions. We should consider those issues carefully, so I am content at present with voluntary screening for particular groups.

The cabinet secretary has put in a further £150,000 of funding to extend the screening pilot over the coming years. So far, it has found 400 youngsters who have exhibited risk factors that range from mild to serious. Even one life saved is excellent, so the programme is making wonderful progress.

I congratulate Wilma Gunn for continuing to work hard on the issue. She has been campaigning for the provision of defibrillators in public areas such as large supermarkets, airports, train stations and bus stations. Scottish HART has so far managed to get 30 of those in Scotland; that is the most recent figure that I have. That is another excellent step forward.

I congratulate Kenny and Wilma Gunn, who have embraced all political parties and none, pursued the issue and worked with Professor Stewart Hillis. Wilma never lets go—she is a determined woman, and her determination has probably saved lives.

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