Silent killer 'strikes down 12 healthy young people each week' with sudden death

13 November 2023 , 18:43

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Young and athletic Clarissa Nicholls died suddenly whilst on a hike (Image: Channel 4)

A devastated mum whose daughter was struck by a ‘silent killer’ that experts says kills at least 12 a week and mainly affects healthy young people is warning others about the cruel condition.

Hilary Nicholls, who lost her daughter Clarissa in May, says there were no signs before she suddenly collapsed on a hike in France. The 20-year-old from London was a national runner and had been sporty from a young age. Two weeks after her death, doctors realised she had an undiagnosed heart condition.

Up to one in 300 people may be carrying the condition, charity Cardiac Risk in the Young says, with Hilary now urging grassroots sports clubs to give young athletes mandatory heart screening by specialists.

Hilary Nicholls is raising awareness over the cardiac condition (Channel 4)

She paid tribute to much-loved Clarissa ‘who had the most enormous number of friends’ and declared she wants to fight for others who may have the same condition.

In an interview with Channel 4 News, Hilary said: “All of a sudden, Clarissa put out her hands in front of her and said, ‘Oh no’. (She) obviously had something that she must have felt in her heart. She fell back into her friend’s arms… Police said that even if it happened outside a hospital, ‘nothing could have helped her’ as it's such a big explosion that happens in the heart. There was no sign of anything before this so it was such a shock.”

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Popular Clarissa's death sparked an outpouring of love and tributes (Channel 4)

Professor Mary Sheppard, a pathologist who specialises in heart conditions that cause sudden cardiac death in the young, told the programme that she thinks the number of deaths is actually under-estimated. She explained: “Of young people under the age of 35, if I had to say how many died suddenly, I would say 20 per week. That would be my estimate from talking to people and families throughout the country who say, ‘Well the case was never referred to you or an expert cardiac opinion.”

Now, Hilary wants to introduce more screening of young and healthy athletes in a bid to understand more about the condition and prevent any more unexpected deaths. “If there's anything I can do to save anyone else's life I really want to fight for that,” she added.

Jake Loader