Young people from across the West Midlands diagnosed with an inherited cardiac condition are being invited to attend a special event in Birmingham later this month.

The first Birmingham meeting of the myheart support group comes in the wake of the case of Premiership footballer Fabrice Muamba, who had a defibrillator fitted after he collapsed on the pitch at Tottenham’s White Hart Lane ground.

The 24-year-old Bolton midfield player’s heart stopped beating for more than an hour, and the incident on March 17 – coupled with several other less high-profile cases – led to greater calls for cardiac screening in young people.

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB), which has been screening young people at regular clinics at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, has now teamed up with a national charity to stage an event in the city on Sunday 20 May 2012.

The Sudden Death Syndrome and Inherited Cardiac Syndrome clinic team from UHB and Birmingham Women’s Hospital are working with Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) to offer ongoing support to young people diagnosed with an inheritable cardiac condition.

CRY, which was founded in 1995 to raise awareness of conditions that can lead to Sudden Death Syndrome, is funding the myheart support day for patients aged 14 to 35, through a grant from the charity Jeans for Genes.

More than two dozen patients from across the West Midlands have been invited to attend the meeting, where UHB cardiac consultant and service lead, Dr Michael Griffith will host an informal question and answer session with the group. The meeting, at the Macdonald Burlington Hotel, will also involve a group counselling session.

The myheart support days provide a unique opportunity for previously fit and healthy young people who have suddenly been identified with a heart condition to benefit from meeting others in a similar situation and sharing experiences.

Lorraine Cadd, UHB Specialist Nurse in Inherited Cardiac Syndrome, said: “We have invited about 25 patients who have all been diagnosed in our clinics with an inheritable cardiac syndrome. Some of these patients may have had defibrillators fitted.”

The Inherited Cardiac Syndrome clinic is held on Fridays at UHB, with up to 26 patients attending at any one time. A total of 30 clinics were held last year but this year the figure is expected to be between 36 and 40.

Lorraine said the clinic team aims to offer appropriate families and patients a “one-stop shop” of cardiac and genetic care.

“The service was particularly set up to facilitate rapid assessment and diagnosis of families that have encountered a sudden unexpected death in a young person.

“Although we receive referrals from GPs and other cardiologists, we also get patients signposted to us from coroners if there has been a death in the family. In addition to this, charities including CRY sometimes signpost patients to the service and clinics.

“In some cases we do not identify a specific cardiac condition but, when we do identify an inherited or inheritable cardiac condition, ongoing clinical care, support and treatment is provided to our patients and their families. Some patients with a firm clinical diagnosis may ultimately end up with an implantable defibrillator.”

Anyone wanting more information about the event on May 20, or the clinics, should contact Lorraine on 07810 851375.

Further information about the myheart group can be found by visiting the myheart webiste.