Scientists prove alarm clock death nurse had rare disorder

A Coroner was this week weighing up whether to reopen an inquest into the sudden death of a nurse. 

The move comes after scientists finally proved Countess of Chester Hospital paediatric nurse Lisa Jane Browne died because of a genetic electrical abnormality in her heart.  The 27-year-old died from sudden shock after her alarm clock went off at 6am on January 12, 1998. 

An inquest recorded the cause of her death as unascertainable.  Since then, her family has campaigned to prove Lisa was killed by a rare disorder known as Long QT syndrome.  Now DNA tests by Swedish scientists lasting nearly two years have proved they were right. 

The results came as tests confirmed Lisa’s nephew, five-year-old Adam Willn, has Long QT Syndrome.  Lisa’s father, Terry Harley, her sister, also a nurse, Rachel Willn, 29, of Nuneaton, and Rachel’s two children Jack, eight, and Adam all have the same abnormal gene. 

Now her parents, Terry and Doreen Harley, of Halkyn View, Connah’s Quay, want their daughter’s inquest reopened and her death certificate changed. 

"We asked for Lisa’s post-mortem examination tissue to be genetically tested two years ago, " said Mrs Harley, who is the regional representative for the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY). 

"Through one of the doctors concerned with CRY we were able to have the PM tissue sent from the Countess of Chester Hospital (where Lisa worked as a paediatric nurse) to St George’s Hospital in London. 

"They extracted the DNA and sent it to Sweden.  It took them 20 months to diagnose Lisa definitely had Long QT Syndrome. 

Cheshire coroner Nicholas Rheinberger has been asked by Mr and Mrs Harley to reopen the inquest – which he is considering. 

"Neither of us could ever accept that she died for no reason," Mrs Harley added.  "Finally to put everything in place we need a death certificate showing the new cause of death.  It is definitely the case that she had Long QT Syndrome and she died when her alarm clock went off." 

Lisa’s sister Rachel was diagnosed with the defect after she was persuaded to undergo tests.  Rachel had surgery to fit a pacemaker, called an ICD.  Three years ago she was asleep when Adam woke up screaming and the sudden noise caused Rachel’s heart to stop.  The ICD kick-started her heart. 

Adam’s diagnosis was not a shock.  "My husband and I were mentally prepared." 

"Jack and Adam will now be sent to a paediatric cardiologist who specialises in electrical abnormalities of the heart." 

The pathologist who carried out the post-mortem examination on Lisa could find no obvious cause of death and an open verdict was recorded. 

Prior to her death, the nurse had gone to the doctor complaining of palpitations, chest pains and light-headedness.  She was diagnosed with stress and depression and prescribed anti-depressants – drugs on a banned list for anyone suffering from Long QT Syndrome. 

Mrs Harley has been able to set up two screening sessions in Flintshire for young people and out of 79 tested, seven had cardiac problems they were not aware of.  She would like to organise more sessions, but each costs £7,000 and she needs a donor.