A North Lincolnshire couple who turned the worst moment of their lives into a mission to protect other families are the latest guests on News Direct: The Podcast.
Jill and Steve Ailing, founders of The Beat Goes On 31, shared the story behind their campaign to raise awareness of undetected heart conditions in young people and fund local cardiac screening.
Their charity was set up in memory of their son Nathan, who died in 2019 aged 31 from an undetected heart condition.
Since then, they have worked tirelessly to raise money, organise screening events and campaign for greater awareness, helping around 1,000 young people access checks that could save their lives.
The screenings have already identified dozens of young people with issues needing further investigation, treatment or monitoring.
Speaking on the podcast, Jill said: “We don’t want other families to go through what we went through.
“Eighty per cent of young people with these heart conditions have no symptoms at all. That’s why screening matters.”
The couple explained how what began as a small effort to fund two screening sessions in Nathan’s memory quickly grew into something much bigger, with support coming from across North Lincolnshire and beyond.
From freezing early-morning car boot sales to marathons, football matches, sponsored events and community fundraising, local people have rallied behind the cause.
Steve said: “When we started, we only ever intended to fund a couple of screening days in Nathan’s memory.
“But when we saw the demand from young people wanting to be checked, we knew we had to keep going.”
The podcast hears how the screening process works, why awareness is so important, and why Jill and Steve continue to campaign nationally for wider access to testing.
It also reflects on the impact their work is already having locally – not only in identifying heart problems earlier, but in giving families knowledge, reassurance and a chance to act before it is too late.
Cllr Rob Waltham, leader, North Lincolnshire Council, who hosted the podcast, said: “Jill and Steve’s story is heartbreaking, but what they have done in Nathan’s memory is extraordinary.
“They have taken unimaginable loss and turned it into something that is helping save lives.
“This is exactly what community looks like – people refusing to let tragedy have the final word and instead using it to help others.
“The work they are doing is raising awareness, getting young people checked and making sure more families have the chance Nathan never had. North Lincolnshire should be incredibly proud of them.”
The episode also highlights the couple’s wider campaign work, including a national petition and their call for better awareness of cardiac risk in young people.
Listeners are encouraged to listen to their story on Spotify, 0r watch the interview on You Tube to support the campaign and help spread the message.
You can follow The Beat Goes On 31 on Facebook to find out more about fundraising, future screenings and how to get involved.
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