THE DEVASTATED parents of a bright schoolgirl who died in front of classmates after a PE lesson said she had lived life to the full.
Katherine Greatorex, 12, collapsed with heart failure.
Parents Ian, 41, and Helen, 42, have since learned her heart had suffered lasting damage from a rare disease she developed as a baby.
As a six-month-old Katherine developed Kawasaki syndrome, a fever which can cause coronary complications. A post-mortem this week revealed her heart was badly-damaged as a result, although they were unaware of the damage before she died.
But they said it had not stopped her excelling at sport and she was looking forward to a diving holiday in Egypt.
Ian and Helen, of Lower High Royds, Darton, said she was a joy to have as a daughter. "She was full of beans, energetic, lovely and caring," said Helen.
She said Katherine lived a normal life. "The prognosis was really good, everything looked fine and she lived a life where she was able to do everything.
"It was a complete shock, totally unexpected. It was impossible to spot. We were lucky she was able to live such a good life for 12 years. She enjoyed every day she had."
Full story in this week's Chronicle
