IT WAS in January this year that we launched Jack’s Appeal.

Since then we have had some great successes in encouraging people to get involved in fundraising.

This has resulted in several schools already being equipped with potentially life-saving defibrillators, which is what this appeal is all about.

But today we are delighted to be able to report a major breakthrough because of the dedication of the family of Jack Thomas to raise awareness of undiagnosed heart conditions in young people.

Jack was only 15 when he died. His family made it their mission to raise awareness of such undiagnosed heart conditions.

A heart screening programme, carried out at Oakdale comprehensive school on what would have been Jack’s 18th birthday, uncovered a previously undiagnosed heart condition in pupil Ellie Davies.

Without the screening, the teenager and her parents Richard and Claire would never have known the 14-year-old suffers from a hole in the heart and an abnormally fast heartbeat.

Of course their immediate reaction was one of shock and upset, but now they have spoken of their gratitude to Jack’s family. They say what Grant and June Thomas are doing is fantastic and their daughter’s diagnosis is proof that heart screening is useful, and all our secondary schools should be provided with defibrillators.