Unbearable
Tragedy as Taylor, 14, dies from same heart condition that killed her sister Jodie at 16
A DEVASTATED mum has lost a second teenage daughter to a heart syndrome.
Taylor Muir, 14, died suddenly yesterday of the same condition which killed sister Jodie 16, three years ago.
The girls’ mum Laura McArthur
spoke last night of her agony at the loss of her two girls.
She said: “Taylor was a lovely, kind, helpful daughter. The only peace we can take from this is knowing she’s reunited with her sister Jodie.”
Laura had campaigned for heart screening for youngsters since Jodie died and it was discovered she had the condition Long QT Syndrome.
Last week, she was honoured as our Caring Hero at the Daily Record’s Our Heroes awards. She received her award from Health Secretary Shona Robison.
Taylor went into cardiac arrest early yesterday morning at her dad Peter’s home in the Gorbals, Glasgow.
Paramedics battled for 90 minutes to revive the popular teenager but she was pronounced dead at the city’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
Jodie died in August 2014. Unlike her sister, Taylor had been diagnosed with Long QT and was on medication.
But Laura, 42, believes her younger daughter, who played an active part in her fundraising efforts, should have been monitored more closely by medics.
Long QT is an inherited condition that can cause heart rhythm disturbances. It occurs in about 1 in 2000 people.
Laura said: “Taylor took unwell in her dad’s house and went into cardiac arrest as there was no electric activity getting to her heart.
“The paramedics tried to resuscitate her but unfortunately they couldn’t. Taylor had long QT, the same as her sister Jodie.
“I have requested a postmortem to be done to find if there is any way this could have been prevented.
“The cardiologist assured us Taylor was in the low-risk category – despiteespite telling me when Jodiedie died that children underer the age of 18 were high risk.
“I believe this is another needlessess death which could haveave been prevented had she been monitored correctly.” rrectly.”
The devastatedastated mum also paid a moving tributee to her daughter. Shehe said: “Taylor always helped with all the charity work and allll my homeless work ork with a smile onn her face.
“She was a typical 14-year-old girl who loved nothing better than getting dressed up in nice clothes and getting her hair and make-up done.
“I would like to thank everyone for all their help and kind wishes and also the paramedics and hospital staff.”
Supportive friends yesterday set up a GoFundMe page to help the family with funeral costs.
By 6pm it had raised more than £5000 – smashing its £3000 target.
The post setting up the page read: “Our beautiful angel Taylor Muir passed away in the early hours of this morning,
“Taylor was only 14 and had her full life ahead of her. Taylor was not only beautiful inside and out but she was so comical and always made us laugh and smile.
“Taylor’s older sister Jodie died in her sleep. To lose one child is devastating but to lose two is utterly cruel and heartbreaking.”
The friends responsible for the page added: “I know Laura will not like us setting up this page but we are sorry, Laura, this time you deserve to have some help. You are our true caring hero and we will help you through this. Nichola, Suz and Wendy xxx”
Stunned friends posted Facebook tributes to Taylor, who was a third-year pupil at Eastbank Academy in Shettleston, Glasgow.
Sammi Higgins wrote: “No mother should go through this especially twice … Taylor is shining bright with her sister Jodie in the sky.”
The Jodie Muir Memorial Trust held their first screening event last September. A total of 156 screenings were done and one girl has had a pacemaker fitted as she had an underlying heart condition.
According to Cardiac Risk in the Young, 12 kids die suddenly every week in the UK from undetected heart conditions. ● The funeral fund is at www. gofundme. com/ taylor-muirs-funeral. To donate to the memorial trust, visit: www.c-r-y.org. uk/memorial-funds/jodie
muir/
I believe this is a needless death. It could have been prevented LAURA McARTHUR