A
special implant has saved a North Wales woman whose heart literally
stopped when her toddler screamed.
Nurse Rachel Wiln, 29, was diagnosed in
march as having the same abnormal gene that killed her sister, Lisa, just
over four years ago.
Countess of Chester Hospital pediatric nurse Lisa suffered from a genetic condition, Long QT
Syndrome, which meant
her heart could stop if she heard a sudden sound.
It is suspected the sound of Lisa's alarm
clock, which had been set to go off at 6am on the morning of her death,
could have proved fatal.
Rachel was eventually persuaded to undergo
tests for Long QT Syndrome after her mother, Doreen Harley, sent her
articles from the Daily Post highlighting the plight of another North Wales
family which had suffered 16 similar deaths.
Former policeman Neil Halliday, 46, from St
Asaph, had researched his family and found six of his mother's brothers
and sisters had died under the age of 21. Seven of his cousins had died suddenly and
in the third generation three had already died and another five suffered
blackouts. see Our
family curse
In June, Rachel, who now lives with her
family in Nuneaton, had surgery to fit a kind of pacemaker, called an ICD.
The operation was necessary because she
reacted badly to drug treatment.
Mrs Harley said:" In August, she was fast
asleep in bed when her two-year-old woke up screaming and the sudden noise
caused Rachel's heart to stop and she blacked out. The ICD
kick-started her heart and brought her back again.
"If we had not had the tests done we
would have lost Rachel."
DNA tests now confirm Rachel's eldest son,
Jack age 6, definitely has Long QT Syndrome. DNA tests on her younger son,
Adam age 2, are due soon.
"We tragically lost Lisa, but at least
her death has saved Rachel and her children by having screening." Mrs
Harley said.
Lisa was found dead in bed in January
1998. The pathologist who carried out the post mortem could find no
obvious cause of death and recorded an open verdict.
Prior to her death at the age of 27, Lisa
had gone to the doctor complaining of palpitations, chest pains and
light-headedness. She was dignaosed with stress and depression and
was prescribed anti-depressants – drugs on a banned list for anyone
suffering from Long QT syndrome.
Research by Mrs Harley led her to St
George's Hospital, London where she and her husband Terry were screened
and Terry was found to have the genetic abnormal gene which causes Long QT
Syndrome.
His condition is being monitored and he
will need beta-blockers if the symptoms begin to show.
The death of her daughter spurred Mrs
Harley on to join the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young to raise awareness
and campaign for a national screening programme.
The charity has now fixed its first North
Wales mobile cardiac screening session which will offer 37 free
appointments to young people between 14 and 35. The event will be
held at Beaufort Park Hotel in Mold on Saturday, February 22.
The screenings are free to the limited
number of young people and the results are confidential.
It will consist of an ECG, an ECHO and a
consultation with a specialist cardiologist. If any abnormality is
found the client will be invited to St Georges' Hospital a centre of
excellence for cardiac abnormalities, for evaluation.
Mrs Harley said:" We do not want to
spread alarm of panic, we just want people to be aware and to recognise
the advantages of screening.
"Screening has saved Rachel's
life. It is worth it. I just don't want any family to suffer
the tragedy we have had."
