Sir David Frost's family tragedy prompts new heart disease service for Yorkshire

Sir David Frost’s family were still coming to terms with the death of the much-loved broadcaster in August 2013 when tragedy struck them again less than two years later.

His son Miles collapsed while out jogging in July 2015 and died at the age of 31. It was subsequently discovered that Miles had the inherited heart condition hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a condition which is undiagnosed in the majority of sufferers.

Although Sir David hadn’t died of HCM, his post-mortem found the disease was present. But Miles and his brothers, Wilf and George, were not tested for HCM at the time.

In a bid to prevent other families going through similar tragedies, Sir David’s family and the British Heart Foundation are launching a new genetic testing service, with one of its bases being here in Yorkshire.

It is hoped that across the six sites around the country, 800 people a year can be tested.

One of the sites to be given funding is the South Yorkshire Regional ICC Cardiothoracic Centre at the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield.

The BHF estimates that up to 120,000 people across the UK could be living with the potentially life-threatening HCM. The condition can cause a cardiac arrest without warning and was responsible for the death of Miles Frost.

In response to his death, the Miles Frost Fund was set up in partnership with the British Heart Foundation to raise £1.5m for a new nationwide cascade testing service to better identify those at risk.

As well as the site in Sheffield, other Specialist Inherited Cardiac Condition facilities in London, Oxford, South Wales, Glasgow and Belfast have been granted funding for the service.

A total of 14 new Miles Frost Fund/BHF specialist cardiac genetic nurses, counsellors and family co-ordinators will be appointed to support the existing Inherited Cardiac Conditions services at the six sites.

Immediate family members of those who test positive to having the gene have a 50 per cent chance of inheriting the gene themselves.

Wilfred Frost, younger brother of Miles Frost, said: “When Dad died we were all just in complete shock, and when Miles died it was even worse. To lose someone so young, who in the prime of his life, has been and still is hard to take. We miss him every day.

“We’re determined to look forward and help prevent other families from experiencing the heartache we have which is why we’re incredibly proud to roll out this new service. If we can prevent just one person suffering the same fate as Miles, then his death will not have been in vain.”

Simon Gillespie, Chief Executive at the British Heart Foundation, said: “BHF researchers were among the first to find the faulty genes underlying the deadly heart condition which caused the tragic death of Miles Frost. Thanks to this pioneering discovery, genetic testing for HCM and other inherited heart conditions is now available in the UK.

"By working with the Frost family to establish a fully functional, UK-wide cascade testing service for parents, siblings and children who could be at risk, our aim is to ensure people who have HCM are identified and treated to prevent a needless loss of life.”

Dr Alison Muir, consultant cardiologist at Belfast City Hospital, said: “When someone dies from an inherited heart condition not only will their family be faced with the devastating loss of a loved one, they will also face the possibility that they or another family member could be affected with the condition.

"It is important they are referred to the service so we can carry out this cascade testing. It can be a frightening prospect so the care of a specialist inherited cardiac conditions nurse is vital to support them through the process.”