‘Fit, healthy and funny’ mum, 32, dies after collapsing while teaching exercise class
A MUM has tragically died after collapsing while teaching an exercise class.
Katy Hancock, 32, was "massively fit and healthy" when she suffered a brain aneurysm, which quickly took her life.
Dad, Chris Taylor, said his daughter from Witchford, Cambridge, was "quite normal" in the days leading up to incident, but had complained of a few headaches.
A brain aneurysm happens when there is a bulge in a weakened blood vessel in the brain.
If it ruptures bleeding can cause extensive brain damage – with three in five people dying within two weeks.
Katy, a teacher, collapsed during a fitness bounce class on January 25 and was rushed to Hinchingbrooke Hospital for an MRI scan, before being transferred to Addenbrookes Neuro ICU.
What are the symptoms of a ruptured brain aneurysm?
According to the NHS, signs of a brain haemorrhage include:
- A sudden excruciating headache (similar to a sudden “bang” on the head)
- Stiff neck
- Sickness and vomiting
- Pain when looking at light
Unruptured brain aneurysms can occasionally cause symptoms too.
Signs of these can include:
- Loss of vision or double vision
- Pain above or around the eye
- Weakness or numbness on one side of the face
- Headaches
- Impaired balance
- Concentration issues or problems with short-term memory
The mum-of-two died a week later on February 1.
The death came as a shock to Katy's husband Edd and their kids Dylan, four, and Taylor, two, who knew their mum as very healthy and active.
Katy would go skiing, swimming, paddle boarding, sailing and cycling often.
“She was hysterically funny, a brilliant mimic, she could memorise lines from a film she saw 20 years ago and just drop them out at the appropriate moment," Dad, Chris, told .
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"Very cynical, really, really dry sense of humour," he added.
A has been set up for Katy to provide the family with memorial benches in their favourite places.
The money raised will also go towards funding the children's education.
What can cause a brain aneurysm?
The exact reason why blood vessel walls weaken is still unclear, but certain risk factors have been identified.
These include:
- Smoking
- High blood pressure
- A history of brain aneurysms in your family
While brain aneurysms can develop in anyone at any age, they are more common in people over the age of 40 and women tend to be affected more than men.
The best way to reduce the risk of an aneurysm developing and possibly bursting is to avoid activities that could damage blood vessels.
Activities include:
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The states that if you suspect someone has had a brain haemorrhage, which could be caused by a ruptured aneurysm, you should call 999 immediately and ask for an ambulance.
Those experiencing symptoms of an unruptured brain aneurysm should contact their GP as soon as possible - it's important to get it checked in case treatment is needed.