Latest news with #EdwardBurr
The Sun
2 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Two days after we got married my husband, 32, ‘caught a cold' – weeks later I spent our honeymoon fund on his funeral
A NEWLYWED whose husband died of an undiagnosed heart condition just six months after they married had to spend their honeymoon fund on his funeral. Primary school teacher Edward Burr, 32, suffered a shortness of breath two weeks after he tied the knot with Laura Burr, 31. 5 5 He was diagnosed with pneumonia and heart failure and never recovered despite having a heart pump fitted and months of specialist treatment. Doctors decided to switch off his life support machine while he awaited a heart transplant and Laura held his hand as he died peacefully 186 days after they wed. Laura is now campaigning for mandatory ' health MOTs' for people aged 30 and over - currently the minimum age is 40 for men and women. She believes this simple test could have saved his life by revealing heart abnormalities via a blood pressure and cholesterol checks. Laura, a helpline operator from Banbury, Oxfordshire, said: "If Ed had received a health MOT at 30, the absolute minimum is that I would've had more time with him. "At his funeral, I couldn't stop wondering: 'How did we get here?' "It was crazy - we were newlyweds who were supposed to be arguing over who does the dishes, and who's cooking dinner." Ed and Laura walked down the aisle at Banbury United Reformed Church on April 6, 2024. The next day Ed began complaining of " hot and cold sweats," preventing him from sleeping all night. Thinking he just had a cold, the primary school teacher "dosed up" on vitamin C, cold and flu tablets. Two weeks later, on April 21, Ed began suffering from shortness of breath - which couldn't be alleviated with an inhaler. The easy-to-miss signs of deadly heart problems "We went to A&E at Horton General Hospital," Laura said. "He had an EKG and blood tests; he was diagnosed with pneumonia and told to come for a follow-up appointment on May 2." Ed's condition didn't get any better, and on April 30, an ambulance was sent to take him back to hospital for admission. On May 2, the day of the originally-scheduled follow-up, Ed was transferred to the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, for further investigations. Doctors couldn't pinpoint the infection which caused his pneumonia - and were trying to treat his heart failure at the same time. Laura added: "Ed's doctors said he'd be easier to treat if he had heart failure or pneumonia - but because he had both, they had to prioritise which one was causing him more damage." 'I held his hand as he died' The care team kept Ed admitted for seven weeks, before discharging him home. Laura was told to keep an eye out for any deterioration, including tiredness and lethargy - and on July 13, after three weeks at home and a night in Horton General Hospital, Ed was readmitted to JRH. On July 19, Ed had a biventricular assist device (BIVAD) fitted, which is designed to support the ventricles if they aren't pumping blood to the heart properly. But he had to remain closely monitored, in-and-out of ICU for a further two months, when he was placed on the heart transplant list. "The weekend of October 3, I had a very strange feeling," Laura said. "Not unusually, the chaplain came to bless Ed - which he did, every Sunday. 5 5 "But this time, while he was reading the prayer, I started sobbing, uncontrollably." Laura, her twin and Ed's dad were "politely kicked out" as visiting hours finished at 7:30pm Four hours later, while on the phone to a friend, Laura received a phone call from the hospital - telling her Ed had taken a turn for the worse. Grabbing Jenny, Ed's childhood teddy bear, Laura, her parents and Ed's dad made their way back to the hospital. A doctor pulled the family into a side room, and told them Ed's BIVAD machine was dying, and his life support machine would need to be switched off. "We played him his favourite music, and my sister read him a poem," Laura said. "And, 186 days after marrying him, I held his hand as he died." The couple had been saving up to go away for a honeymoon - adding money into the "pot" at the end of each month, as well as wedding donations. But the money, which Laura said "would've been enough to take them to Disney," was spent on Ed's funeral. Laura is now pouring her energy into her new campaign, which she has co-founded with friend Gabriella Evans, who lost her husband, Tom, 34, to an undiagnosed heart condition.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
My husband and I were planning a Disney honeymoon - instead I had to use the money to pay for his funeral
A heartbroken widow whose husband died of an undiagnosed heart condition just six months after they married had to spend their honeymoon fund on his funeral. Primary school teacher Edward Burr, 32, and Laura Burr, 31, were looking forward to a Disney honeymoon when disaster struck. The first sign that something was wrong was the day after his wedding. Mr Burr simply felt 'under the weather', but put this down to a possible bug he may have caught while being in close proximity to 60 people. However, after suffering a shortness of breath two weeks later, he was diagnosed with pneumonia and heart failure. Despite having a heart pump fitted and months of specialist treatment, he never recovered died unexpectedly in October 2024. Doctors decided to switch off his life support machine while he awaited a heart transplant and Laura held his hand as he died 186 days after they wed. 'We played him his favourite music, and my sister read him a poem,' Laura said. 'And, 186 days after marrying him, I held his hand as he died.' The couple had been saving up to go away for a honeymoon - adding money into the 'pot' at the end of each month, as well as wedding donations. But the money, which Laura said 'would've been enough to take them to Disney,' was spent on Ed's funeral. Laura is now campaigning for mandatory 'health MOTs' for people aged 30 and over - currently the minimum age is 40 for men and women. She believes this simple test could have saved his life by revealing heart abnormalities via a blood pressure and cholesterol checks. Laura, a helpline operator from Banbury, Oxfordshire, said: 'If Ed had received a health MOT at 30, the absolute minimum is that I would've had more time with him. 'At his funeral, I couldn't stop wondering: "How did we get here?" 'It was crazy - we were newlyweds who were supposed to be arguing over who does the dishes, and who's cooking dinner.' Ed and Laura walked down the aisle at Banbury United Reformed Church on April 6, 2024. The next day Ed began complaining of 'hot and cold sweats,' preventing him from sleeping all night. Thinking he just had a cold, the primary school teacher 'dosed up' on vitamin C, cold and flu tablets. Two weeks later, on April 21, Ed began suffering from shortness of breath - which couldn't be alleviated with an inhaler. 'We went to A&E at Horton General Hospital,' Laura said. 'He had an EKG and blood tests; he was diagnosed with pneumonia and told to come for a follow-up appointment on May 2.' Ed's condition didn't get any better, and on April 30, an ambulance was sent to take him back to hospital for admission. On May 2, the day of the originally-scheduled follow-up, Ed was transferred to the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, for further investigations. Doctors couldn't pinpoint the infection which caused his pneumonia - and were trying to treat his heart failure at the same time. Laura added: 'Ed's doctors said he'd be easier to treat if he had heart failure or pneumonia - but because he had both, they had to prioritise which one was causing him more damage.' The care team kept Ed admitted for seven weeks, before discharging him home. Laura was told to keep an eye out for any deterioration, including tiredness and lethargy - and on July 13, after three weeks at home and a night in Horton General Hospital, Ed was readmitted to JRH. On July 19, Ed had a biventricular assist device (BIVAD) fitted, which is designed to support the ventricles if they aren't pumping blood to the heart properly. But he had to remain closely monitored, in-and-out of ICU for a further two months, when he was placed on the heart transplant list. 'The weekend of October 3, I had a very strange feeling,' Laura said. 'Not unusually, the chaplain came to bless Ed - which he did, every Sunday. But this time, while he was reading the prayer, I started sobbing, uncontrollably.' Laura, her twin and Ed's dad were 'politely kicked out' as visiting hours finished at 7:30pm. Four hours later, while on the phone to a friend, Laura received a phone call from the hospital - telling her Ed had taken a turn for the worse. Grabbing Jenny, Ed's childhood teddy bear, Laura, her parents and Ed's dad made their way back to the hospital. A doctor pulled the family into a side room, and told them Ed's BIVAD machine was dying, and his life support machine would need to be switched off. Laura is now pouring her energy into her new campaign, which she has co-founded with friend Gabriella Evans, who lost her husband, Tom, 34, to an undiagnosed heart condition. It's estimated that around 400,000 people in the UK with heart failure are undiagnosed, according to studies. And roughly 10 per cent of all patients are under 50. Heart failure is when the organ is unable to pump blood around the body properly, likely because it has become weak or stiff. This leads to reduced oxygen and nutrients to the organs and tissues. The condition is typically caused by lifestyle-related problems that strain the heart, such as high blood pressure and atherosclerosis (when cholesterol clogs the arteries). Symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling in the legs and ankles, irregular heartbeats, dizziness, nausea, and pain in the arms, jaw, or back.
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
'Healthy' man, 32, had common pain and was dead months later
A heartbroken widow has spoken out about losing her 32-year-old husband to heart failure and warns that other young people could be at risk of sudden, untimely deaths. Edward Burr died unexpectedly in October 2024 after suffering with an underlying heart condition that he was completely unaware of. The first sign something was wrong was noticed just six months before his death - the day after his wedding day. Burr simply felt 'under the weather', but put this down to a possible bug he may have caught while being in close proximity to 60 people. His wife Laura, 31, from Banbury, Oxfordshire said: 'That escalated into going into our local hospital and him being diagnosed with pneumonia.' There, it was also found that Burr's heart was behaving 'abnormally' and he was transferred to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford but on the ambulance journey there he developed 'active heart failure'. Burr's condition further 'deteriorated' in the middle of July and on July 19 he underwent open heart surgery at the Harefield Hospital in London, where he had a machine fitted to help his heart continue operating. Doctors planned for him to receive a heart transplant, but the wait was too long and he passed away from multiple organ failure in October last year. Burr's wife said: 'The pneumonia tipped his body over and he couldn't deal with the heart problem we didn't know he had. 'I was a bride and a wife at 30, I'm now a widow at 31 - those words should never come out of somebody's mouth.' Studies estimate that around 400,000 people in the UK with heart failure are undiagnosed and roughly 10 per cent of all patients are under 50. Heart failure occurs when the organ is unable to pump blood around the body properly, likely due to it becoming weak or stiff. This leads to reduced oxygen and nutrients reaching the organs and tissues. The condition is typically caused by lifestyle-related problems that cause strain on the heart, such as high blood pressure and atherosclerosis (when cholesterol clogs the arteries). Symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling in the legs and ankles, irregular heartbeats, dizziness, nausea, and pain in the arms, jaw, or back. Gabby Evans, 32, a registered nurse from Burnley, Lancashire, also lost her partner to an undiagnosed heart condition. Tom Brakewell died from hidden cardiovascular disease in January 2025, aged 34, just two weeks after suffering sudden chest pains. Evans said: 'He was admitted to hospital for a week on January 18 because they thought he'd had a heart attack, but it was the high blood pressure causing similar symptoms. 'They got his blood pressure down and he was discharged - he was fine and he said he felt okay.' Three days later, she woke up in the morning and found Brakewell had 'stopped breathing'. Evans said: 'I turned on the light and just knew instantly something wasn't right, I started doing chest compressions before the paramedics came. 'They worked on him for about 45 minutes before they made the decision they couldn't carry on and Tom wasn't with us. 'I was with him when they pronounced him.' He died from a cardiac arrest on January 28 2025 - with the cause later determined to be high hypertension and coronary heart disease. Evans added: 'His heart was damaged and he'd had it for a long period.' Both women are now calling for mandatory health screenings for younger adults to spot underlying heart conditions sooner. Evans said: 'If he had full tests earlier it may have been picked up sooner.' On May 2, Burr and Evans launched a petition calling for mandatory tests for those aged between 25 and 35. Burr said: 'If Edward and Tom had been tested earlier or they had any kind of health MOT, it would have been picked up earlier and we may have had more time with them. The nurse added: 'If we were to have these mandatory health checks, no one would have to go through what we've gone through. 'Grief and losing someone is part of life, but not at this age.' A Department Of Health A nd Social Care spokesperson said: 'Our deepest sympathies are with the families of Edward and Tom. 'The NHS's life-saving health checks are targeted towards those at higher risk, preventing around 500 heart attacks and strokes every year and stopping people developing a range of diseases. 'To increase availability and uptake of the checks, we are developing a new online service that eligible people can use at home to understand their risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.'
The Sun
15-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Man, 32, put feeling ‘under the weather' after his wedding day down to sickness bug – six months later he was dead
A HEARTBROKEN woman who became a widow in her 30s has told of the shock loss of her 32-year old husband just months after their wedding. Edward Burr died aged 32 in October 2024 after suffering with an underlying heart condition, which wife Laura Burr, 31, feels could have been spotted if the NHS carried out routine health checks. 5 5 5 Laura and Edward tied the knot on April 6 2024 after six years together. The day after their wedding, Laura said Edward complained of feeling unwell, but the couple put this down to being in a room with around 60 of their loved ones. 'That escalated into going into our local hospital and him being diagnosed with pneumonia,' Laura said. There, it was also found Edward's heart was behaving 'abnormally' and he was transferred to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford – but on the ambulance journey, Laura said it was found he was in 'active heart failure '. Laura, from Banbury, Oxfordshire, said Edward then 'deteriorated' in the middle of July and on July 19, he underwent open heart surgery at the Harefield Hospital in London – where he had a machine, known as a biventricular assist device (BiVAD), fitted to help pump his heart. 'He was put on the transplant list a week later and he was there until he passed away as they couldn't get a heart for him in time,' Laura said. Edward died on October 7 2024 as a result of multiple organ failure caused by heart failure – two days after Laura's birthday. During his time in hospital, it was discovered Edward had dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) – a disease of the heart muscle where the chambers become enlarged and the muscle wall becomes thinner and weaker. 'The pneumonia tipped his body over and he couldn't deal with the heart problem we didn't know he had,' Laura said. Online connection In March this year, Laura connected with another widow, Gabby Evans, 32, from Burnley, Lancashire, on TikTok, where they had both been using the platform to document their grief. My daughter thought she had pains in her legs from wearing high heels but then she died in the A&E carpark 'I can't remember who sent the first message but I followed Laura's story and she followed mine because it's quite nice to see someone else going through it – and the rest is history,' Gabby said. Gabby and Laura now talk every day to navigate becoming widows in their 30s – which they say they take 'one day at a time'. 'Some days you don't want to get out of bed and see the sunshine, I just want my person back,' Laura said. 'If he had full tests earlier it may have been picked up sooner' Gabby's partner, Tom Brakewell, died in January 2025 at the age of 34 having also suffered from an underlying heart condition. Having been together for six years, the pair purchased their first home in December 2022. Gabby said Tom started experiencing headaches in August 2024, which the couple put down to him spending time in front of screens. After visiting a doctor, it was found Tom had high blood pressure and he was prescribed medication to help – but he then started having chest pains in January 2025. 'He was admitted to hospital for a week on January 18 because they thought he'd had a heart attack, but it was the high blood pressure causing similar symptoms,' Gabby said. 'They got his blood pressure down and he was discharged – he was fine and he said he felt okay.' I turned on the light and just knew instantly something wasn't right, I started doing chest compressions before the paramedics came Gabby Evans Three days later, Gabby said she woke up in the morning and found Tom had 'stopped breathing'. 'I turned on the light and just knew instantly something wasn't right, I started doing chest compressions before the paramedics came,' she said. 'They worked on him for about 45 minutes before they made the decision they couldn't carry on and Tom wasn't with us. 'I was with him when they pronounced him.' Tom had suffered with a cardiac arrest, and he died on January 28 2025 – with the cause later determined to be high hypertension and coronary heart disease. 'His heart was damaged and he'd had it for a long period – if he had full tests earlier it may have been picked up sooner,' Gabby said. Gabby said loved ones have since told her Tom was planning to propose in March 2025, but he 'never got the chance'. She added: 'I knew who I was before I was with Tom, I knew who I was while I was with him – I have no clue who I am after Tom.' Call for mandatory health checks Laura, who works for Scottish Power, and Gabby, a registered nurse, have never met in person, but they now speak to each other every day to 'check in' and navigate their grief together, which they take 'one day at a time'. Together, they have launched a petition this month to call for mandatory health checks for those aged between 25 and 35 – with the aim of detecting and preventing underlying conditions, and to ensure 'no-one would have to go through what we've gone through'. 'We don't want Tom and Edward to have died for no reason, their deaths have to count for something and maybe this petition is why,' Laura said. 'We wanted to spend the rest of our lives with them, they were going to do wonderful things in the world and now they're not able to.' Gabby added: 'I like to picture them up there sat on a sofa, watching Lord Of The Rings together and wondering what we're getting up to down here. 'If our campaign can get just one person to check their health, it's worth it and we've done our job.' 5 Laura said if Edward and Tom had been tested earlier or they had any kind of health MOT, it would have been picked up earlier and they may have had more time with them. Gabby added: 'If we were to have these mandatory health checks, no one would have to go through what we've gone through. 'Grief and losing someone is part of life, but not at this age.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'Our deepest sympathies are with the families of Edward and Tom. 'The NHS's life-saving health checks are targeted towards those at higher risk, preventing around 500 heart attacks and strokes every year and stopping people developing a range of diseases. 'To increase availability and uptake of the checks, we are developing a new online service that eligible people can use at home to understand their risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.' To find out more, visit their petition here. The signs something could be wrong with your heart Chest pain Chest pain, pressure, or tightness, often called angina, is a common symptom of heart disease. It may feel like squeezing, pressure, or heaviness. Shortness of breath Feeling short of breath, especially during activity or at rest, is a significant sign. This can be worse when lying down or waking up at night. Fatigue Unusual fatigue, especially when it interferes with daily activities or occurs with shortness of breath, can be a warning sign. Swelling Swelling in the legs, ankles, or feet (edema) can indicate fluid buildup, which may be caused by a heart problem. Irregular heartbeat Palpitations (feeling your heart racing or fluttering) or an irregular heartbeat can be a sign of an arrhythmia, a problem with your heart rate or rhythm. Dizziness and fainting Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting can be a sign of reduced blood flow to the brain, which can be caused by a heart problem. Pain in other areas Pain or discomfort may spread to other areas of the body, such as the arms, jaw, neck, back, or stomach.
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
'Healthy' man, 32, had common pain...months later he was dead - thousands more could be at risk of 'ticking time bomb disease', campaigners warn
A heartbroken widow has told of her shock at losing her 32-year-old husband to heart failure and has warned thousands more young people could be at risk of sudden, untimely deaths. Edward Burr died unexpectedly in October 2024 after suffering with an underlying heart condition that he was blissfully unaware of. The first sign something was wrong struck just six months before his death—the day after his wedding day. Mr Burr simply felt 'under the weather', but put this down to a possible bug he may have caught while being in close proximity to 60 people. 'That escalated into going into our local hospital and him being diagnosed with pneumonia,' said his wife Laura, 31, from Banbury, Oxfordshire. There, it was also found his heart was behaving 'abnormally' and he was transferred to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford—but on the ambulance journey it was discovered he had developed 'active heart failure'. Mr Burr then 'deteriorated' in the middle of July and on July 19, underwent open heart surgery at the Harefield Hospital in London, where he had a machine fitted to help his heart pump blood around the body. Doctors planned for him to receive a heart transplant, but the wait was too long — and he passed away from multiple organ failure in October last year. 'The pneumonia tipped his body over and he couldn't deal with the heart problem we didn't know he had,' Mrs Burr said. 'I was a bride and a wife at 30, I'm now a widow at 31—those words should never come out of somebody's mouth.' It's estimated that around 400,000 people in the UK with heart failure are undiagnosed, according to studies. And roughly 10 per cent of all patients are under 50. Heart failure is when the organ is unable to pump blood around the body properly, likely because it has become weak or stiff. This leads to reduced oxygen and nutrients to the organs and tissues. The condition is typically caused by lifestyle-related problems that strain the heart, such as high blood pressure and atherosclerosis (when cholesterol clogs the arteries). Symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling in the legs and ankles, irregular heartbeats, dizziness, nausea, and pain in the arms, jaw, or back. Gabby Evans, 32, a registered nurse from Burnley, Lancashire, also lost her partner to an undiagnosed heart condition. Tom Brakewell died from hidden cardiovascular disease in January 2025, aged 34, just two weeks after suffering sudden chest pains. 'He was admitted to hospital for a week on January 18 because they thought he'd had a heart attack, but it was the high blood pressure causing similar symptoms,' said Ms Evans. 'They got his blood pressure down and he was discharged—he was fine and he said he felt okay.' Three days later, she woke up in the morning and found Mr Brakewell had 'stopped breathing'. 'I turned on the light and just knew instantly something wasn't right, I started doing chest compressions before the paramedics came,' she said. 'They worked on him for about 45 minutes before they made the decision they couldn't carry on and Tom wasn't with us. 'I was with him when they pronounced him.' He died from a cardiac arrest on January 28 2025—with the cause later determined to be high hypertension and coronary heart disease. 'His heart was damaged and he'd had it for a long period,' Ms Evans said. Now, both women are calling for mandatory health screenings for younger adults to spot underlying heart conditions. 'If he had full tests earlier it may have been picked up sooner,' Ms Evans said. On May 2, the duo launched a petition calling for mandatory tests for those aged between 25 and 35. 'If Edward and Tom had been tested earlier or they had any kind of health MOT, it would have been picked up earlier and we may have had more time with them,' Mrs Burr said. The nurse added: 'If we were to have these mandatory health checks, no one would have to go through what we've gone through. 'Grief and losing someone is part of life, but not at this age.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'Our deepest sympathies are with the families of Edward and Tom. 'The NHS's life-saving health checks are targeted towards those at higher risk, preventing around 500 heart attacks and strokes every year and stopping people developing a range of diseases. 'To increase availability and uptake of the checks, we are developing a new online service that eligible people can use at home to understand their risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.'
