Yahoo Lifestyle My daughter was healthy, fit and an athlete – then she died at 20
Hilary Nicholls, a charity campaigner from London, shares how the tragic loss of her daughter Clarissa at the age of 20 could have been prevented...
My daughter Clarissa was full of energy and kindness, she had a magnetic presence that made everyone feel special. At 20, she was living her dream, studying French and Italian at Cambridge University, and planning for a future in law.
Her days were packed with purpose: Early morning runs, studying late into the evening and countless moments with friends who adored her. Clarissa had a way of lifting people up, of making them believe in themselves, and her laughter could turn any ordinary moment into something extraordinary. She oozed joy and shared it with everyone around her.
In May 2023, while hiking in the Alpes-Maritimes during a break from an internship in Paris, Clarissa’s life was suddenly cut short. She collapsed on a trail and despite the heroic efforts of a wilderness first responder who happened to be nearby along with the emergency services, she couldn’t be saved. Later, we would learn that she had suffered a sudden cardiac arrest caused by an undiagnosed heart condition called arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy.
Every parent's worst nightmare
The news shattered us. When the police knocked on our door to tell us, the weight of their words was almost too much to bear. My husband and I were in disbelief, struggling to comprehend that Clarissa was gone.
My husband and I were in disbelief, struggling to comprehend that Clarissa was gone.
Because of the regulations in France, we had only 24 hours to travel and see her one last time before her body would be prepared for repatriation. We gathered our sons – one in Oxford, and one in Dublin – and insisted on making the journey as a family. It was the hardest thing we have ever done, but it was important that we faced it together.
Missed warning signs
In the months that followed, we pieced together what had happened. Clarissa had fainted the year before while at Cambridge. Concerned, her friends called an ambulance, and she was taken to A&E. They performed tests, including an ECG, but no abnormalities were flagged. Clarissa’s fainting was dismissed, and she was given the all-clear to go back to her busy lifestyle.
She had been passionate about running since the age of three. An endurance athlete, Clarissa competed for multiple clubs in the 800m, 1500m and cross-country events. But at nine years old, she discovered another love – hockey. She played for her school team and later continued at Cambridge, relishing both the physical challenge and the camaraderie of team sports.
What we didn’t know then – and what haunts me now – is that her ECG did show signs of her condition. A trained cardiologist would have seen the red flags. If they had, Clarissa might still be here. Her life would have been saveable.
What haunts me now is that Clarissa's ECG did show signs of her condition. A trained cardiologist would have seen the red flags. If they had, Clarissa might still be here.
It’s devastating to think about what could have been prevented. Sudden cardiac arrest claims the lives of at least 12 young people in the UK every week, often without any prior symptoms. In fact, 80% of young people have no symptoms and yet, any of these tragic deaths could be avoided with a simple ECG test. Still, awareness and access remain painfully limited.
Raising awareness
To channel my grief, I turned to action. I joined forces with Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), a charity dedicated to preventing young sudden cardiac deaths through screening and research. CRY offers free heart screenings for people aged 14 to 35, but the demand far exceeds their resources. Over 100,000 young people are on their waitlist, hoping for access to the test that could save their lives.
In Clarissa’s memory, we launched Clarissa’s Campaign for Cambridge Hearts, an initiative led by her friends to fund screenings for students at Cambridge University. Their efforts have been extraordinary, raising enough to screen hundreds of students so far. The goal is to make these screenings a permanent fixture at Cambridge and to inspire other universities and sports organisations to follow suit. It’s a step toward ensuring no other family has to endure the pain we’ve faced.
Sports are a particular area of focus. Young people with undiagnosed heart conditions are three times more likely to experience sudden cardiac arrest during physical activity. Yet, while elite athletes are routinely screened, grassroots and university-level participants often aren’t. This disparity is unacceptable. Every young person, regardless of their level of sport, deserves the chance to know if they are at risk.
The cost of an ECG screening through CRY is £68, which includes the test, a follow-up echocardiogram if needed and a consultation with a cardiologist. It only needs to be done every three years, and in the grand scheme of things, it’s a small price to pay for something that could mean the difference between life and death. Governments, universities and sports organisations must step up to fund and prioritise these programs. They should be accessible to all.
Living with loss
Clarissa’s absence is a void I feel every day, but her presence is still everywhere. I see her in the faces of the students who come up to me after screenings, tears in their eyes, thanking us for the opportunity to protect their health. I hear her laughter in the stories her friends share about her – how she made them laugh, how she gave them hope and picked them up during tough times. And I feel her spirit every time we take a step toward change.
Her death was a tragedy, but her life was a gift. Clarissa taught us to seize every moment, to be kind and to never take a single day for granted.
Losing Clarissa devastated our family. We’ve each grieved in our own way, but her absence is something we feel every day. My sons still keep her photo as their phone wallpaper – a quiet reminder to cherish every moment and live life to the fullest. They have their whole lives ahead of them and, while they continue to focus on the future, Clarissa’s memory is still always with them
On the other hand, my husband and I are afflicted. We’re much further down our lives and had nearly 21 years of nurturing Clarissa and watching her fly. We’ve done all we wanted in life, which makes it hard to not constantly look back. But I know I’ve got to do what I can do to prevent this from happening to anyone else. Our loss has become my motivation for getting up and keeping on going.
Her death was a tragedy, but her life was a gift. Clarissa taught us to seize every moment, to be kind and to never take a single day for granted. Through this campaign, I hope to honour her legacy by saving lives and spreading awareness. If her story can prevent even one family from experiencing this heartbreak, then sharing it will have been worth it.
We still have so far to go. The demand for screenings is overwhelming, and funding remains a challenge. But I’m determined to keep going, for Clarissa and for the countless others at risk. She may not be here to light up the room anymore, but her legacy still shines on.
If I could say one thing to the world, it would be this: don’t wait. Get screened. Advocate for better access. And never underestimate the power of a simple test to save a life. Clarissa would have wanted that. And for her, I will keep fighting.
You can support Clarissa's GoFundMe Campaign for Cambridge Hearts here.
Read more about heart health:
Cardiac arrest signs for men and women as study finds symptoms can appear 24 hours before (Yahoo Life, 4-min read)
Seven signs you're having a heart attack (Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read)
Neighbour saves life of Dad who had cardiac arrest in front of his children (Yahoo Life UK, 6-min read)
