The sudden passing of a family member is arguably one of the most painful experiences life can throw at us. 

Somewhat cruelly, it only at times like this, when something irreplaceable is taken away, that a  person has time to fully appreciate what is important in life. 

Losing any family member is heartbreaking, but coming to terms with the loss of a son or a daughter is surely the most difficult of bereavements to accept. 

The loss of a young person's life goes against the principles of nature's intentions and often leaves parents with a lifetime of inconsolable heartache. 

When Shirley Wort's 28-year-old son died unexpectedly in 2000, she felt these crippling emotions and more. 

It would have been easy for her to have given up on life, but instead she attempted to turn the mourning into the best positive she could find. 

That took the form of the Julian Wort Memorial Fund - a chance for her son's name to live on as a crucial fundraising branch of the national charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY). 

During the last six years, Mrs Wort has helped to raise more than £20,000 and more importantly, elevate awarenes of sudden death syndrome, the tragic cardiac arrest which took her son's life. 

Mrs Wort said: "Nothing can replace Julian, but if I can make more people aware of the dangers of sudden death syndrome it may help to put a stop to other people having to go through what I and my family have." 

Every week, four to eight apparently fit and healthy young people die of undiagnosed heart conditions in the UK. 

As well as providing a counselling service for bereaved families, CRY promotes the use of ECG (electrocardiogram) machines, which can detect abnormalities of the heart. 

"We have almost raised the money we need to donate a new ECG machine to Frome Victoria Hospital's Minor Injury Unit, which is great news and a credit to the generous people of Frome," said Mrs Wort. 

It will mean that anyone who experiences chest pain, breathlessness, dizziness or fainting, can have a quick and painless test and diagnoses her in Frome." 

Mrs Wort has organised a summer charity disco, which will be held at Frome Football Club on Saturday July 8, to help raise money for the hospital's new ECG machine. 

The disco will start at 8pm and tickets, which cost £2.50, can be bought by telephoning Mrs Wort on 01737 471309.