Family in heart screening drive after sudden death

The family of a 24-year-old woman who died suddenly after going into cardiac arrest in a supermarket are raising funds to screen young people for heart conditions.

Josephine Chatterton, from Cleethorpes, died in May 1999 from an undiagnosed heart condition that could have been picked up with screening.

To mark the anniversary, Miss Chatterton's mum Monica said she wanted to raise £6,800 to screen 100 young people in one day in North East Lincolnshire.

Every week in the UK, at least 12 young people aged 35 and under die suddenly from a previously undiagnosed heart condition, according to the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY).

Miss Chatterton had recently completed a masters degree in music at Huddersfield University and had planned a career in music therapy.

At about 09:00 BST, the graduate had stopped off at Morrison's in the town on the way to the gym. She collapsed and died in the store.

"So many questions went through our minds with no immediate answers: what happened, how and more importantly, why?" Mrs Chatterton said.

An inquest found that Miss Chatterton died from a rare genetic heart disorder which led to sudden cardiac death.

To mark the 26th anniversary of Josephine's death, her family set up a Just Giving page to raise funds to screen people aged 14 to 35 in North East Lincolnshire.

"We want to try and alleviate other family's devastation at losing a young person to a sudden cardiac death," Mrs Chatterton said.

Miss Chatterton was the second youngest of five children. She would have been 51 in July.

"We now have grandchildren and great grandchildren who are being tested to ensure there is no genetic inheritance for future concerns," Mrs Chatterton added.

The charity CRY said it has been lobbying parliament for nearly 20 years for a national screening programme.

Dr Steven Cox, the chief executive said: "One in 300 young people screened will have a potentially life-threatening condition identified on the ECG. They'll benefit from advice to prevent a cardiac arrest."

The screening event will be held at Grimsby Leisure's Health and Wellbeing Centre. A date has not yet been confirmed.

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