Parents grief leads to plea on screening

The grieving parents of a teenager who suddenly died last summer hope to raise thousands of pounds to help prevent more mysterious deaths in the region.

Laura Fox, 13, died just days after returning from a week’s holiday on the French coast with her family.

An inquest ruled the Farlingaye High School pupil died from inhaling her own vomit after suffering an epileptic fit, but her parents are certain she was the victim of a type of adult cot death.

Robin and Kate Fox, of Borrett Place, Woodbridge, said their daughter was probably killed by a rare condition of cardiac arrhythmia and are now calling on the Government to set up a national screening programme for youngsters.

Their plea comes days after an inquest heard how Amie Haversham, 18, of Felixstowe, was also killed by the mysterious condition which claims up to four lives a week.

Mr Fox said: “We feel the Government should be supporting this work at the very least, if not providing funds.  It does not seem right a charity is funding the research and trying to provide the resources to carry it out.

“Ultimately we would like to see everyone screened, but for now give parents the option to have their child tested.  That is why we are fundraising, it is a rare occurrence but it happens more than people realise.”

The couple set up a trust fund following Laura’s death last August and have already raised more than £1000 including £600 raised by her school friends.

Next month Mr Fox is taking on the Three Peaks Challenge when he and four friends will walk up Britain’s three highest mountains Ben Nevis, Snowdon and Scafell Pike, in 36 hours.

Laura’s twin brother Mark, 14, is also helping to boost funds by taking part in a schools triathlon with four friends on June 6.

Mrs Fox said they hope to eventually raise enough money to have equipment installed locally to screen youngsters for any potential cardiac problems.

“Prior to this happening it is not something you consider as a parent, you do not envisage your child will die suddenly and unexpectedly,” she said.

“But it is happening to so many children now we feel it needs bringing to the attention of more people so we can try to prevent it happening or reduce the number of cases.

“We would like to see a programme of national screening and most cardiac abnormalities can be detected with an electrocardiogram (ECG).  We want the ECG machine set up locally to test local children for any problems and we also want to help the national research going ahead at the moment.”

A member of the school netball team and holder of the school record for the long jump in her year, Laura’s ambition was to be a famous sportswoman or PE teacher.

The teenager was also keen on amateur dramatics and had appeared in pantomimes and plays with the Deben Players for five years.

Mr Fox said: “Her death was completely out of the blue, she was not ill or anything – completely incomprehensible.”

“The outcome of the inquest was that she probably died if asphyxiation caused by an epileptic fit but we strongly believe she is a victim of one of the conditions that Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) and St George’s Hospital are researching at the moment.

On the Three Peaks Challenge Mr Fox and his fellow walkers will be raising money for the British Heart Foundation and CRY.

Anyone who would like to sponsor Mr Fox, or his son Mark in his triathlon should write to: Three Peaks Challenge, c/o The Editor, East Anglian Daily Times, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN.