hadleigh: After an undetected heart condition claimed the young life of Rebecca Phillips her devastated family have today urged others to be screened, as they get the all-clear from specialists.
The 25-year-old kindergarten worker collapsed at a friend’s 30th birthday party and died at Ipswich Hospital in the early hours of November 14.
When the post mortem revealed Rebecca died of a heart condition known as arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, which comes under the umbrella of sudden death syndrome, her family were advised to get tested for the life-threatening condition.
On Monday her parents Julie and Peter Phillips, of Bradfield Crescent, Hadleigh and their two sons Nick and Lee travelled to St George’s Hospital in London to be tested.
“It was such a stressful day but we did get good results,” said Mrs Phillips. “None of us have got any signs of the heart condition.
“It was so emotional, a day of real mixed emotions, we were happy none of us have the condition but we all just wish Rebecca had the chance to have the tests, or at least show a sign something was wrong.”
Since the death of their beloved daughter Mrs Phillips said the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) have offered her family support and guidance, giving them information about the condition which claimed Rebecca’s life.
Mrs Phillips added: “Basically it affects the electrics of the heart. It caused her to have a heart attack, but it was not like a normal heart attack, there were no signs, she just felt unwell and fainted, she wouldn’t have suffered.
“It was so sudden, just like her electrics stopped and her heart stopped. It was so instant, no-one would have been able to do anything.”
n Have you lost a loved one to sudden death syndrome? Call the newsdesk on 01473 324788 or e-mail starnews@eveningstar.co.uk.
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