"Three of my brothers died young from heart attacks"

After losing her brothers, Wendy Cook discovered she had familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH), a genetic condition that causes high cholesterol from birth and can lead to a heart attack at an early age. She now takes statins and is celebrating a birthday that she thought she might not reach.

“Philip was the first of my brothers to pass away, and the inquest said he had died of ischaemic heart disease. He was 45. Then three years later we lost my brother Paul to the same condition, and then another brother, Michael, two years after that. That left me, my brother Tony and sister Christine. It all happened so fast I didn’t have time to come to terms with it all.

After Paul died, I contacted my GP and that’s when she first mentioned FH. I was 52 and had never heard of it, but it was clear that heart disease was in the family and my cholesterol was high. I went on statins and my cholesterol came right down. I just take my tablet before I go to bed. The fact that statins can give you a future is amazing. It means my family don’t have to go through all that again.

After Michael died, my GP sent me for genetic testing and the results came back saying I have an altered gene. It’s not one of the main genes already known to be linked to FH but they said in future, with more research, they may be able to link the gene to FH.

It’s my 60th birthday in July. I’m not a party kind of person - I would like to celebrate in a quieter way with my husband Paul and family. I am just glad to get to this age. It’s such an achievement in our family to reach 60.

My nephews and nieces all have their cholesterol tested. I am looking after myself, but I would like the next generation to be really aware and the generation after that. I am definitely hopeful.”