Three sisters ‘so grateful’ to attend free cardiac screenings after tragic loss of cousin, 17, to undiagnosed heart condition

Three sisters in their early 20s were among more than 200 young people who were invited for free cardiac checks in Scunthorpe, after their 17-year-old cousin died from an undiagnosed heart condition.

Fionnuala, 24, Molly, 23 and Eve, 22, were prompted to seek screening after student Mary Stanway tragically died at the age of 17, early last year. Fortunately, the sisters were cleared at the screenings, held at Hope House, Scunthorpe.

Fionnuala said: “We feel so grateful to have been able to have these checks. Our cousin was 17 when she died unexpectedly – she fell asleep on the sofa one evening and passed away.

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“We went on the waiting list for the NHS but it was about a year long. We were so lucky to get a spot at the screenings – me and my sisters all came through with clear ECGs, which is very reassuring.

“There were 20 referrals from the sessions and hopefully this means 20 other families are prevented from going through what we have experienced – and what Gill (Ayling, the organiser of the cardiac screenings) has also had to go through.

“It really should be something that’s routine, like the cervical screening for women. It’s something that’s not talked about enough and usually if it’s something you’ve experienced, which is really sad.”

Fionnuala encouraged any young person who received the opportunity to attend screening, to go along. “It’s so quick – we were in and out in about ten minutes. It’s absolutely painless, they check your weight and your height and you speak to a doctor.

“You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. I wish this had been available where my cousin lived.” Mary, of Nantwich, in Cheshire, was a student at Brine Leas School sixth form, her sudden death stunning fellow students and staff.

Gill Ayling, who is spearheading a local movement to get young people routinely screened for potential heart problems, said the two screening days at Hope House were a huge success. The fact that 20 young people had been referred on by a specialist showed how vital the checks were.

She said: “The screenings went amazingly well. We had 205 young people attending and from those there were 20 referrals on.”

A community group set up by Gill and husband, Steve, of Scawby, five years on from their son Nathan Bryan’s death aged just 31, raises money to enable cardiac screenings for young people aged 14 to 35 to take place. Gill said: “One of the referrals was for a friend of Nathan’s.

“He did a sponsored walk for us in April and raised £1,000. It’s poignant that he should attend and have something picked up from the screening.”

Gill added: “Hopefully we are looking at more screenings in spring next year.”

Original artice: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/all-about/scunthorpe