A fundraising drive launched in memory of a much-missed Tayside teenager is saving young lives across the region.
Dozens of schoolchildren have been screened for a killer heart condition as part of a new campaign following the sudden death of 17-year-old Kayla Brown.
The teenager’s mother Lou Cole has teamed up with her daughter’s best friend to lead a charity push to ensure fewer families suffer the same heartache.
As the painful two-year anniversary of Kayla’s death approaches, the pair held a benefit concert in her honour.
The gig, featuring an impressive line-up of local talent, raised cash for the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), which works to reduce the number of young sudden cardiac deaths (YSCD) in Britain.
The show was the brainchild of school friend Ellie Jane. “We’ve been working on this for nine months,” she said. “I messaged Kayla’s mum about it back in January.
“I was sitting on the bus, thinking about Kayla and thinking about how much I missed her. I felt we had to do something.
“I was friends with a lot of the bands already, so there was no problem getting everyone onboard. Everyone who knew Kayla’s story wanted to help.”
Lou Cole, Kayla’s mother, said: “Before Kayla, I had never heard anything about this condition (YSCD). When it happened to Kayla, I looked into it and what I found was that there was no real support or information out there, apart from CRY.
“I got in touch with them and they were fantastic. They got my other children screened and they helped us with lots of bereavement information.
“Their ultimate aim is to get all children at school age screened.”
One of the main goals of the Kayla campaign is to secure more defibrillators for schools, groups and communities across the area.
“It’s amazing how many places still don’t have a defibrillator,” said Lou. “A lot of schools and universities just don’t have them. But they’re so important.
“We are trying to make sure they are accessible to people and that they know how to use them.”
Kayla’s old school, Perth Grammar, has held a series of fund-raising events since her death. They have already managed to pay for cardiac screenings for around 80 pupils.
“They’re constantly working on this, making sure all the people who want to be screened can be screened,” Lou said.
“Even though she only lived here (in Perthshire) for a short time, she made such a massive impact. She was very much involved in art and drama and community things, and everyone just loved her.”
Kayla died at Perth Royal Infirmary after collapsing at home. Hours earlier she had been discussing her plans for Halloween with her family and showed no signs of illness.
Doctors said she had a heart problem that no one had been aware of.
CRY provides medical information on the most common causes of unexpected sudden caridac death in the young (aged 35 and under).
The conditions include thickening or abnormal structure of the heart muscle and irregularities of the electrical impulses that upset the natural rhythm of the heart.
