Charity shop

It was Christmas last year, and I was wearing my very favourite green top. My personal shopper had made me buy it. It was stupidly expensive, but I really liked it. Now all I needed was for other people to like it too. These situations are tricky because you're not really supposed to go up to people and say, "Do you like my very expensive top?" Sometimes I do anyway, but ideally other people are supposed to tell you without prompting.

So it was Christmas and we were at a pantomime.

"Laura, I really like your top," said Hannah, my brother Jack's girlfriend.

"Thank you," said I, beamingly. A note of worry crept in. "Did Jack put you up to that?"

"Not at all," said Hannah, truthfully. For Hannah was one of impeccable taste. She was an art student.

Hannah was one of impeccable taste.

She was an art student.

Sadly, Hannah died in her sleep a few weeks later- a massive shock to my whole family - not to mention hers.

Hannah was fit and healthy, as you can see from the photo. Other than having slightly dodgy taste in men, she had no real indication of anything being wrong. One day she was fine - and then she just wasn't anymore. The cause of her death? A heart defect, that could possibly have been detected much earlier.

Shocking? Undoubtedly. And you know what, apparently eight apparently healthy young people die unexpectedly from heart defects every week.

Every week, eight families go through the (and there is no other word) horrific situation that Hannah's family, Jack and my family have been through. Every week. And most of these conditions, if diagnosed, are treatable.

One thing that's kept everyone going a bit has been the possibility of raising awareness of the conditions, with the aim of preventing further unnecessary deaths. There's a charity that helps out with this, called CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young).

Those of you who know me know that I'm not a sporty person. I won't ever ask you for money to go scrambling up a mountain or walk across a desert. The thought of anything involving tents petrifies me. But I am keen to help out where I can.

If you enjoy reading my Plog, if you're a friend, or a regular lurker and think you've had a few quids' worth of entertainment out of my humorous mishaps (don't forget the time I "lost" my car; that's got to be worth at least a couple of quid), it would be really appreciated if you could donate whatever you can at http://www.justgiving.com/laurasplogforhannah

The company I work for will double-match any contribution you make, so if you donate £10, the charity will get £30. You can donate anonymously if you wish. Bargain.

In the meantime, whenever I wear my green top, I will smile and remember Hannah approved. Even if her taste in men was a bit dodgy.