TEN years ago, Aaron Dixon was at home with his family having been out the night before with his sister and his friends.

He was a fit and healthy 23-year-old who loved football and going to the gym.

When his dad Gary went upstairs to tell Aaron his tea was ready, he found his son unresponsive and immediately started CPR.

Mum Debbie called for the paramedics but it was too late.

Aaron had died following a cardiac arrest at just 23.

After his death, Aaron’s family were told he had arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) - an undetected genetic heart defect that can cause cardiac arrest, if undetected and untreated.

Over the past ten years, Debbie, who is a former Kingsmead resident, has devoted her time and endless energy to raising money to fund heart testing for young people, provided by CRY’s (Cardiac Risk in the Young) UK-wide screening team, in a bid to detect these often hidden conditions.

And Debbie, who now lives in Clotton, Tarporley, has just held her 100th day of cardiac screening, at The Grange School in Hartford, in conjunction with CRY, bringing the total number of young people in Cheshire screened through the Aaron Dixon Memorial Fund to 8,728.

And 346 young people have been identified with heart anomalies, which have required referrals for further tests and potentially life-saving treatment.

Debbie said: “I raise money to fund heart screenings in memory of my precious son, Aaron, because I never want another family to endure the heartache we’ve experienced, and I believe that early detection through heart screenings can save lives.

“Every screening we have held so far has resulted in someone, if not more than one person, being referred due to perceived heart abnormalities. Furthermore, every week in the UK, 12 young people aged 35 and under die due to an undiagnosed heart condition.

“By supporting CRY I hope to prevent other families from the same suffering and honour my son's memory in a meaningful way.”

Aaron Dixon was just 23 when he died in September 2014

Aaron Dixon was just 23 when he died in September 2014

Twenty-seven-year-old Charlotte Carney-Hughes was screened in 2016 and doctors identified a serious heart condition.

Charlotte was diagnosed with restrictive cardiomyopathy and eventually had a lifesaving heart transplant operation.

Bound by this shared experience, they’ve remained firm friends with Charlotte accompanying Debbie to the Pride of Manchester ceremony, where she received a Special Recognition Award.

Charlotte said: “I went on to have a flawless recovery.

“I’m nearly seven years post-transplant now and I’ve learned that I’m so lucky to still be here.

“So many things went right for me and so many things had to align for me to receive my transplant and the beginning of it all is Debbie Dixon.”

Charlotte accompanied Debbie to The Pride of Manchester Awards

Charlotte accompanied Debbie to The Pride of Manchester Awards

Among the thousands of screenings appointments supported through Aaron’s fund, more than 800 elite athletes have had their hearts tested, via the English Institute of Sport and more recently several dancers at the English National Ballet.

Debbie has raised £710,000 over the past ten years and hopes to one day hit the £1 million mark.

Dr Steven Cox, CEO of CRY, said: “Debbie's tireless dedication to screening young hearts in memory of Aaron is a powerful testament to her strength and commitment to saving young lives.

“Through 100 screening events, she has transformed her unimaginable loss into a legacy of hope, ensuring that other families may be spared the same heartache.

“Her achievement stands as a reminder that one person's determination can create a lasting impact on an entire community.”

Debbie said: “Anyone who knows me knows I don’t do this for awards.

“I just want all young people to be screened.

“I want to keep Aaron’s memory alive and I don’t want anyone else to lose a child like we have.

“I retired early to dedicate my life to this, but I’ve also got my family and Aaron’s large circle of friends who are behind me every step of the way and who are all instrumental in the fundraising for Aaron’s Memorial Fund.

“They are my link to my precious son and I couldn’t do this without them all.”

CRY now screens around 27,000 young people aged between 14 and 35 every year across the UK and since the charity was first launched in 1995 has screened more than 305,000 young hearts.

One in every 300 people of those tested by CRY will be identified with a potentially life-threatening condition.