Nailsea family raise £250k for stroke research at Southmead Hospital

Billie Wood died at the age of 25 from a sub arachnoid haemorrhage

The family and friends of a woman who died after an uncommon type of stroke have raised around £250,000 for research into the cause.

Billie Wood, from Nailsea, died aged 25, after a sub arachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) in May 2020.

A trust set up in her memory has now funded two neurological research positions at Bristol's Southmead Hospital, which treated her.

Her brother, Max Wood, said his sister would be "very proud" of their efforts.

Billie's brother Max Wood said he would do "anything to have her back"

"We've raised over £200,000 at the moment, I don't think there's a limit with how much we can raise," he added.

A sub arachnoid haemorrhage is an uncommon type of stroke caused by bleeding on the surface of the brain.

Billie's mother, Sophie Wood, said her "clever, fun and kind" daughter had not long graduated university and moved back from London for lockdown when she became unwell.

"We had eight weeks, the weather was amazing. We had a fantastic time. I'm grateful for that now," she said.

"She did some pilates and went to bed, said goodnight and then the next morning she was screaming on the landing."

Richard Wood said his daughter's death was a "tragic waste"

Mrs Wood said she was "fairly certain something catastrophic had happened to her" and they called an ambulance.

First taken to Bristol Royal Infirmary, Billie was eventually taken to Southmead neurological unit where she had several operations.

"It was made harder because we couldn't see her," Mrs Wood said.

After six days, Mrs Wood said she knew there was something wrong when the hospital rang the family to say they could all go and visit her.

Billie died on 13 May 2020.

Her father, Richard Wood, said: "It was devastating. You go there and you've got to make a decision to turn the machine off and you just wait the four hours or so it took to say goodbye.

"It was a tragic waste."

Family-friend Tim Poat took part in a boat rowing challenge to raise money for the trust

The family set up the Billie Elizabeth Wood Trust in her memory and have undertaken a number of fundraising challenges since it was founded, most recently a 85 mile (137km) boat rowing challenge from Oxford down the River Thames.

Family-friend Tim Poat, who took part in the challenge rowing one of the four 150-year old wooden 'skiff' boats, said he had to help as soon as the "opportunity came up".

He said: "If by raising money we can get some medical research done into finding causes, finding ways of helping young ladies that this happens to, then it's more than worthwhile."

The team of 14 rowers raised around £50,000, money which has now funded two new research positions - a research nurse and a research facilitator.

Mr Mario Teo, a neurosurgeon at Southmead Hospital, said the funding would allow them to continue their research

Mr Mario Teo, a consultant neurosurgeon at Southmead Hospital, said: "Worldwide there has been a fair amount of research but there is still a lot of research going on and there is a lot that is still unknown - therefore there is still a lot of work to be done.

"It's very important. We work collaboratively with a few centres in the UK so we have been working on the gene that could be potentially responsible in patients like Billie."

Mrs Wood said: "This research has to happen. Someone as fabulous as she was, can't be lost in vain."

Billie's brother Max added: "She was possibly the most vibrant, lovely, fun, outgoing sister and girl anybody could ever meet.

"I'd do anything to have her back here with me."