A LIMERICK woman whose sister died from Sudden Adult Death Syndrome has spoken of how a heart screening saved her own life ten years later. Mary Maguire’s sister Martina died in her sleep ten years ago aged just 17; she was days away from receiving her Leaving Certificate results. The family did not know the cause of Martina’s death for some time afterwards. Last year, Mary Maguire attended the Family Heart Screening Clinic at the Mater Hospital in Dublin.
She was fitted with a 24-hour monitor and in March 2012 was fitted with a defibrillator.
Thankfully Ms Maguire is now back to full health and graduated from Mary Immaculate College in May 2012 with a BA in Media Communications.
She commented: “The staff in the Family Heart Screening Clinic couldn’t be any nicer, helpful and sincere. The work they put into screening families in Ireland goes without notice, without them there would be a lot more tragic SADS incidents in the country.”
The Mater Foundation has now launched the Mater Heart Appeal to help raise funds for the Family Heart Screening Clinic.
For the month of February, the foundation is encouraging people to donate online at www.materfoundation.ie; the appeal has set a fundraising target of €300,000.
In Ireland, more than one person under the age of 35 dies suddenly from an undiagnosed heart condition each week.
The Family Heart Screening Clinic screens relatives of people who have died from SADS or survived a Sudden Cardiac Arrest for undiagnosed heart conditions.
