Each week, eight people in the UK die from undiagnosed heart conditions. Often, these defects are impossible to trace and the unexplained loss of these seemingly fit and healthy young people is put down to 'adult cot death'. Following the sudden death of 19-year-old Lisa Freer, of Cleethorpes, at her home last year, her family are now hoping to keep her memory alive by making others aware of this silent killer.
In the week when they should have been celebrating her 20th birthday, Lisa Freer's family found themselves gathered for her inquest.
As reported, Lisa died suddenly in her sleep at the family home in Bursar Street, Cleethorpes, on October 11 last year.
That fateful night was the same as any other. Talented actress Lisa had been to her dance class as usual and went to sit o0n her mother Marlene's bed to say goodnight at about 10.50pm.
Marlene (56), who uses her maiden name of Kirman, still remembers their last conversation.
She said: "She was sitting on my bed and she'd bought some new pink suede-effect slipper boots that day.
"She was pink-mad – everything had to be pink.
She said: "I've bought some new slippers mum. They are ace, you will love them."
She lifted her feet up, and I can still hear her saying: "Aren't they just wicked? My feet will never be cold in these, will they, mum?"
A few hours later, her brother Shaun was passing by her bedroom and heard a noise coming from inside.
Unable to rouse her, an ambulance was called. But despite the best efforts of the paramedics, they were unable to revive her and Lisa was pronounced dead on arrival at Grimsby's Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital.
"She wore those boots when she was cremated…I had nearly bought her some a few days before," said Marlene.
"Obviously, losing her the way we did absolutely devastated all of us.
"I don't think we will ever really come to terms with it; having her there one minute, and being gone the next.
"If she had been ill, or been in an accident, at least we would have had some reason, something to blame.
"But we haven't got anything – when she went to bed she was totally fine."
The cause of Lisa's death is still largely a mystery. Toxicology reports heard at the inquest showed no sign of either alcohol or drugs and a post mortem revealed a young woman who was in the peak of health and fitness.
It is thought an undiagnosed heart defect – one of a group of diseases known as channelopathies – may have been to blame.
At the inquest held at Cleethorpes Town Hall, assistant deputy coroner for North East Lincolnshire Jane Eatock recorded a verdict of natural causes.
Marlene said: "Knowing Lisa, and the kind of person she was, there was never any question of it being drugs.
"And yet, for some reason, it was the first question everyone asked. She was so anti-drugs it was unbelievable."
The facts are little comfort for Lisa's mother, who now worries that the rest of her family – daughter Lindsay (31) and sons Matthew (33), Stuart (29) and Shaun (21) may be at risk from the silent killer commonly described as 'adult cot death'.
Marlene said: "I'd never heard of it at all before it happened to Lisa.
"Then, within three weeks of her death, I read about two more seemingly healthy, 19-year-old girls who just died for no apparent reason.
"It seems like such a huge waste of life and I wish we knew more about it.
"It's entirely up to them, but I would like her brothers and sisters to get checked out and I'm concerned for my grandson as well."
Every week, eight apparently fit and healthy, young people die in the UK from undiagnosed heart conditions.
"It's now thought Lisa was one of them, a girl whose greatest wish was to become a beauty therapist and one day open her own salon.
Spurred on by the memory of a girl who had her whole life before her, Lisa's family now wants to do more to raise awareness and funds to prevent others from experiencing their devastating loss.
In the summer, Lisa's sister, Lindsay Smith, her partner Shane Dolby, and Lisa's brother Shaun are planning a charity sky7dive for CRY – Cardiac Risk in the Young – an organisation seeking greater awareness of sudden cardiac deaths in young people.
In addition, Marlene is looking to hold a charity ball to commemorate what would have been Lisa's 21st birthday next April.
She said: "Lisa was due to go to New York with her theatre school Centa Stage just a month after she died and she was really looking forward to it.
"When they returned, all of her friends brought back little mementos to put on her grave, and on her birthday there was so many it was phenomenal.
It's a comfort to know she was liked by so many; there were at least 275 people at her funeral.
"I knew she had a lot of friends, but I will never forget the day I saw them all queuing all the way up to the gates of the crematorium.
"It's such a waste, Lisa was such a vibrant, bubbly person. No matter how down or depressed you felt, when she walked into a room you simply couldn't be miserable any more.
"We've tried explaining it to people, but we just can't come up with the words to describe her. She could just light a room up – she was so happy, if was infectious.
"I don't think we will ever get over losing her, but at the same time we all just feel privileged that we had those 19 years with her."
Find out more
For more information about Cardiac Risk in the Young, visit http://www.c-r-y.org.uk or contact 01737 363 222.
