'I fear Jemima may have her father's heart defect'

A grieving widow is fraught with worry that her two-year-old daughter may suffer the same heart defect that killed her husband.

Aranya Weller, 32, the widow of well-known Reigate man Andy Weller, has been fighting to remain in the UK since arriving in December.

The mother-of-one came to the UK following her husband's sudden death on November 30 last year and is now desperate to remain in the country so their daughter Jemima, a British citizen, can receive yearly heart check-ups in London.

The Surrey Mirror has campaigned for Mrs Weller after she was told by the Home Office there were no 'compelling or compassionate reasons' for her to stay in February.

Mrs Weller lives in Underhill Park Road, Reigate with her parents-in-law, John, 63, and Terry Weller, 64, but her visa only lasts until June 1.

Mrs Weller said: "I am very worried that the same thing that happened to Andy could happen to our daughter.

"I've already lost my husband.

"Jemima is a British citizen, and I want her to have the best hospital treatment available here in England.

"I'm still up and down at the moment. I miss Andy so much and all this is so difficult."

Andy Weller, who travelled around the world before he settled in Thailand where he became head teacher at a Bangkok kindergarten, died, aged 31, of a suspected heart attack.

A post mortem carried out in Thailand revealed Andy had an enlarged heart and a narrowing of his coronary artery before he died.

The results were sent to the Heart Hospital, Westmoreland Street, London ready for a crucial check-up for the Weller family last Friday.

John Weller said: "The trip on Friday really brought everything back home to us, because the whole campaign got us focused on keeping Aranya here.

"All the anger and adrenaline going into the campaign is all because of Andy and it's been a way of channelling our grief."

"But we sat there in the hospital surrounded by other families all getting checked after losing family members like us, we remembered why we were really here."

Mr and Mrs Weller and their son Nick, 32, spent the day at the hospital being monitored and tested for signs of heart disease or murmurs.

An appointment for Jemima at London's Great Ormond Street Hospital is planned for next week, but doctors have already said she must have yearly check-ups until the age of 18.

Terry Weller said: "It's so important that she stays here in England so she can visit the hospital every year in case there is anything wrong with her heart."

No reply from Home Office

Following our trip to deliver our 1,300-strong petition to Downing Street last Tuesday, the Surrey Mirror has had notification from the Prime Minister.

The official letter dated March 27 informed us that our Support Not Deport campaign is 'receiving attention' and a reply will be with us 'as soon as possible'.

Letters and campaign coupons have still been flooding into the office and comments left on our on-line petition have continued to be added showing the huge swell of support for Mrs Weller.

However the Surrey Mirror has still not received even an acknowledgement of receipt from the Home Office following our tip to their head office on March 4.

Despite finishing our petition, which is now closed, we will continue to follow Mrs Weller's story and support her application to say in the UK.

Help from Tadworth charity 'CRY'

A charity based in Tadworth helped the Weller family through their grief following Andy's death.

Cardiac Risk in the Young or CRY puts bereaved families in touch with counsellors or others who have lost siblings or children who died of a heart attack at an early age.

Simon Weller, 35, who was in California, America, when his brother Andy died contacted the charity who put him in touch with another person who had lost a sibling.

Contact the charity at Unit 7, Epsom Downs Metro Centre, Waterfield, Tadworth on 01737 363 222 or visit their website

http://www.c-r-y.org.uk