Kelley Allen was diagnosed with Long QT syndrome, an inherited heart condition that causes life-threatening abnormal heart rhythms, after losing consciousness in a swimming pool when she was 10 years old. Kelley’s two-year-old son, Jayson, was tested for the condition soon after he was born.
Kelley, aged 27, from Essex, says: “Jayson was diagnosed with Long QT syndrome shortly after he was born. He takes beta blockers every day to control the condition. We are so fortunate that genetic tests exist. It has meant that my mum and brother were also able to be tested and we have peace of mind in the knowledge that my brother does not carry the gene.
“I’m so grateful for the research, which means that tests like this exist and I hope they can continue to help many more people like us. Without the test, I can’t imagine what might have happened to Jayson.”