Statement: Tragic death of Holly Monk

At SRUK we are devastated to hear that a young girl, Holly Monk, has sadly died and our thoughts are with her family and friends at this time.

We understand that Raynaud's was impacting her life. Raynaud's is a common condition affecting up to 10 million people in the UK. For many it will be mild and manageable but for others the condition can be extremely debilitating, with every day tasks becoming impossible during an attack.

In severe cases of Raynaud's, drugs may be prescribed, which widen the blood vessels and reduce the frequency and severity of attacks. The drug in question, Hydroxychloroquine, is a drug prescribed to regulate activity of the immune system in autoimmune conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus and is not prescribed directly for Raynaud's.

1 person in every 100 who has Raynaud's will go onto develop an autoimmune condition and so it is important to recognise if you have the condition and whether you are at risk. If you are concerned that you may have the condition please visit www.sruk.co.uk/testme to take a Raynaud's test.

For those who are taking medication to manage conditions, it is important to take the medication as prescribed by a health professional. If symptoms are persistent, the medication is not working for you or side effects are troublesome, please visit a GP to discuss options. We would urge anyone taking medication to not take more than the prescribed dosage as this can lead to a devastating outcome.