Home   News   Article

Subscribe Now

Family raise awareness of epilepsy after daughter's tragic death




Pregnant Thatcham woman and her unborn twins tragically die on Christmas Eve after seizure

“THREE princesses have gone together to heaven.”

That was the touching tribute from the parents of a pregnant Thatcham woman who died on Christmas Eve after suffering a seizure.

Popular Kirsty Walker, aged 31, who lived near Kennet School with her fiancé Kris Smith, was just eight weeks away from giving birth to twin girls when tragedy struck.

Despite the best efforts of paramedics who performed an emergency caesarean, Miss Walker’s seizure – caused by her epilepsy – also claimed the lives of her unborn twins.

Speaking to the Newbury Weekly News this week, Miss Walker’s distraught mother, Debbie, spoke of the family’s anguish and coming to terms with the loss of her daughter.

Mrs Walker, of Beancroft Road, said: “We go up and down. One minute we cry, the next we try and smile. We even try and laugh.

“Sometimes we can explain, sometimes we collapse.

“Kirsty was beautiful and so well-groomed. Everyone knew her for her big blue eyes and everyone who met her loved her within seconds.

“She listened to others, helped and supported everyone. Kirsty had a ladylike way, caring and forgiving.

“Kirsty used to call the babies her ‘twinkle twins’ because she was a girly-girl and loved anything pink and twinkly.

“She said if she was going to have girls she wanted to call them Soraya and Regan, as they are both names of princesses. Three princesses have gone together to heaven now.

“Christmas was Kirsty’s favourite time of the year.

“I don’t remember much about this Christmas, only pain.

“The pain and hurt we feel I cannot put into words.

“Kirsty showed signs of having epilepsy from the age of 13. It is a cruel illness.

“There were previous times when she has stopped breathing, but sadly this time it was just too much and we lost her.”

Last week, Mrs Walker posted the tragic news on Facebook and encouraged people to ‘share’ it to raise awareness of epilepsy.

The post has since been ‘liked’ more than 400 times and ‘shared’ by more than 600 people – reaching those in countries as far away as Canada.

Miss Walker’s father Adrian added: “These last seven days have been the toughest days of my life.

“The pain I have felt has cut me to the core. Something no one should feel, but as a family we have drawn strength from each other and others that are close to us.

“Kirsty meant the world to me and am thankful that I had 32 years to enjoy her company. She was so thoughtful of others, often putting them first. She was funny, often dizzy and beautiful.”

Miss Walker grew up in Burghfield Common with her two sisters, Cheryl and Saffron, and attended The Willink School before moving to Thatcham.

After leaving school, she worked at The Body Shop and did courses on wedding makeup and later worked as a PA to the director of education at Capita in Reading.

She got engaged to Mr Smith five years ago and wanted to get married in Christmas 2016.

After finding out Miss Walker was pregnant with twins, the pair decided they wanted to wait until New Year’s Eve to find out the gender. Sadly, Miss Walker died seven days before.

Mrs Walker added: “The funeral is going to be really hard but we want to give them a send-off.

“Both of the twins will be in the same coffin as Kirsty because that is what she would have wanted. We are doing what we can to keep them together, but as three separate lives.

n Continued on page 5

“The word on top of coffin will be mummy because that is what she is, a mummy. Kirsty, Kris and doggy Devon were so happy. We all were so looking forward to the arrival of the twins. “

Mrs Walker is now asking other Facebook users to share the ‘epilepsy aware’ picture, or to make it their profile picture to continue to raise awareness.

She also praised the actions of paramedics and hospital staff who tried to save Miss Walker and her twins, saying: “We know the ambulance teams and the hospital staff at John Radcliffe did all they could possibly do to save them.”

She has also asked people to wear a ‘twinkly ribbon’ on Monday January 18 – the day of their funerals.

Miss Walker’s family have asked any donations to be made to Epilepsy Research UK, PO Box 3004, London W4 4XT, to help improve research into epilepsy.

Miss Walker’s family wanted to share the advice below to anyone who witnesses someone having a seizure –

What to do –

. Stay calm

. Look around – is the person in a dangerous place? If not, don’t move them. Move objects like furniture away from them.

. Note the time the seizure starts

. Stay with them – if they don’t collapse but seem blank or confused, gently guide them away from danger. Speak quietly and calmly.

. Cushion their head with something soft if they have collapsed to the ground.

. Don’t hold them down.

. Don’t put anything in their mouth.

. Check the time again – if a convulsive (shaking) seizure doesn’t stop after five minutes, call for an ambulance (dial 999).

. After the seizure has stopped, put them into the recovery position and check that their breathing is returning to normal. Gently check their mouth to see that nothing is blocking their airway such as food or false teeth. If their breathing sounds difficult after the seizure has stopped, call for an ambulance.

. Stay with them until they are fully recovered.



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More