A week after she developed a cough and had respiratory problems, an identical twin lost her sister.
Prior to being split apart by a terrible catastrophe two and a half years ago, Chloe and Courtney Franklin were closest friends. In order to be cautious, Chloe saw her GP in February 2020 after she started coughing and having trouble breathing.
After the examination, she was immediately sent to University Hospital Llandough, which is outside of Cardiff, for more testing and a course of antibiotics. The 21-year-old lady was admitted to the University Hospital of Wales’ intensive care unit just 24 hours later when her health didn’t get better. Three days later, she was put into an induced coma.
“She had a severe infection in her lungs and the doctors said the induced coma would give her lungs a break and allow her to heal,” recalled twin sister Courtney. “As the week progressed, they thought it was working and started to bring her off sedation.
“Unfortunately, she then developed sepsis and later had a massive stroke, which was so severe that the neurosurgeons could not operate. We were told she was brain dead and there was nothing more they could do. This all happened in just a week.”
Courtney, 23, from Llandaff North, Cardiff, said Chloe was due to start a new job as a receptionist but really wanted to be a children’s nurse. “In fact, she has inspired me to train [to be a nurse] and I start university in September,” she added.
“We were joined at the hip and did everything together. She was my best friend and the one person I never imagined not being here. Every summer, when we were kids, we’d go on PGL holidays together and made so many memories on brilliant adventures.
“It’s hard to accept she isn’t here anymore. Unless you have a twin – and we were identical – it’s hard to understand that friendship. It’s a bond like no other. She was the same as me – we had the same hobbies, we looked the same. To lose that after 21 years is a very lonely thing to go through.”
After Chloe passed away, Courtney claimed she focused all of her energy on running during lockdown. “I signed up for the Cardiff Half after completing a 100K in less than three weeks and feeling like I needed a bigger challenge. Although I damaged my knee while training, if I have to crawl, I will “Added she.
Now that she has registered for the Wizz Air Cardiff Half Marathon, Courtney will only be thinking of her sister as she crosses the starting line. She is participating in the race to raise money for the organisation 2Wish, which supports people left behind after a young person passes away suddenly.
“They really helped us with the loss of my sister. They created memory boxes for each of us – my mum and dad, my younger brother and me. Inside, they had put an elephant, a lock of her hair, a print of her hand, a trace of her heartbeat, a candle and a poem,” Courtney explained.
“It was such a thoughtful touch at the worst time of our lives. It was incredibly special – everything was so delicate and heavenly. I’m running for 2wish so that other families receive the support we did.”
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