A CAMPAIGN to raise awareness of fatal blood clots, like the one which killed Canvey teenager Lara Plewa, wants people to sign up and spread the word.

Stop the Clot, a national campaign being run by charity AntiCoagulation Europe, has launched a 12-week campaign.

It wants to raise awareness about the dangers of blood clots developed while in hospital, which kill around 32,000 people each year.

The campaign works through its website, on which viewers can access information.

Readers then forward the weblink to a friend who they think should also know.

The site explains clots can be avoided by patients asking hospital staff to perform a simple risk assessment on them.

If they are at risk they can be given treatment to prevent clots.

The problem occurs when a person’s blood begins to clot inside a blood vessel. It often occurs first in the leg and symptoms can be swelling or pain. This can then spread to the lung and be fatal.

Lara Plewa was only 19 when she died, suddenly, on Monday, February 23, of a suspected blood clot which moved from her leg to her lung.

The teenager, who grew up in Canvey and went to school in Southend, was at university in Kent when she developed a pain in her leg.

She was taken to Canterbury Hospital late on Sunday night, but died a few hours later.

Campaign director Eve Knight said deaths like Lara’s, and thousands more each year, could be avoided.

She said: “It’s a tragic case, but it highlights the fact blood clots can affect people of all ages.

“By running the Stop the Clot campaign, we are encouraging people who are admitted into hospital, to ask a doctor or a nurse for a blood clot risk assessment.”

Mrs Knight decided to start the campaign after she nearly suffered the same fate as Lara, by developing a clot in her leg which travelled to her lung.

She said: “We really need to stop these unnecessary deaths.”

Basildon Hospital showed its support for the campaign. Dr Eric Watts, consultant haematologist and clinical director at Basildon Hospital, said: “Basildon is an enthusiastic supporter of this campaign and we welcome the project.

“We have an active programme to identify patients at risk and organise treatment to prevent them as soon as the patient comes into hospital.”

Dr Gleb Ivanov, consultant haematologist at Southend Hospital, said: “We take blood clots very seriously. We already treat many of our patients to prevent them from getting clots. We are committed to ensuring every patient is assessed and provided with all the information they need about blood clots and how to prevent them.”

To support the campaign, and spread the word to a friend or loved one, visit www.stop theclot.com/pledge, or call 0800 6946444.