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Jersey's top athletes are being offered free heart checks at the hospital this weekend to make sure they are in tip top condition for next month's NatWest Island Games.
The clock's ticking with less than 40 days to go before the big event gets underway and the Island's Consultant Cardiologist says it's important local athletes keep their finger on the pulse when it comes to their health.
Dr Andrew Mitchell who runs screening company Heart for Life said: "It’s much better to check your heart, know the results and do something about it if there is a problem. We have some amazing equipment here in Jersey that can detect detailed electrical and structural heart problems with great accuracy. We also have a fantastic team of people – clinical physiologists, administration staff, doctors and nurses.
"We will be here to meet people, talk about heart health and reassure them on the day. With an early check you win both ways – either with a clean bill of health or the cardiac team being able to work with you from early on to reduce risks."
Dr Mitchell says these checks are compulsory in most high-level competitive sports before athletes are allowed to compete and his team plan to be just a heartbeat away throughout the Games, using portable monitors to give team members a check up.
He set up Heart for Life with his wife Claire so that Islanders could quickly and affordably assess if they had heart problems. The couple are keen to make people aware of the state of the art non-invasive heart facilities here in Jersey and that 90% of premature vascular disease is actually preventable.
Dr Mitchell said: "Lifestyle counts for a lot – a healthy diet, moderate alcohol intake, regular exercise 5 times a week for 20 to 30 minutes, no cigarettes and not carrying excess weight - will undoubtedly mean you lead a healthier, longer and happier life.
"We do not need to be scared about heart health. Everything is here to help us prevent it; equipment, training, facilities and a team of experts. It’s clever to be cardiac checked."
Team Jersey can get checked this Saturday from 10 am until 4 pm in the Hospital's Clinical Investigation Department. The slots must be pre-booked and appointments will be given on a first come, first screened basis.
You can find out more about Heart for Life here.
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