When she was 18 Lucinda McNerney went into cardiac arrest and was diagnosed with Long QT Syndrome (LQTS), an inherited defect in the heart’s rhythm.
People with LQTS suffer fainting spells, dizziness and palpitations, and in worst case scenarios, the condition causes seizures and sudden death. One in 5,000 people have the syndrome and their children have a 50 per cent chance of inheriting it.
Tests confirmed that both Lucinda’s mother and grandmother had LQTS, and it was later discovered that two of her three children also had the condition.
Watching for every sign and symptom that her baby may be having a cardiac arrest became the norm. Having lived with the condition since she was 18, Lucinda was aware of the implications and she knew it was important to be prepared.
The family have a defibrillator in the house and both she and her husband are trained in CPR.
Each year, more than 5,000 lives are lost to sudden cardiac arrest, but without CPR or a defibrillator their chance of survival falls by up to 10% a minute. Please donate to help us train more lifesavers in CPR.
