Family of Fareham nurse who died of sudden thrombosis are calling for more public awareness

Anna Harriman, who is described as a beloved daughter, wife, sister, niece, aunt, cousin and friend, passed away suddenly at home in July 2022, from a pulmonary embolism, which occurred as a result of an undiagnosed blood clot in her lung.

Anna, 27, who was ‘full of life’ was an NHS nurse who worked for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

‘All she ever did was help people,’ said Ryan Powell, 30, Anna’s husband.

‘If there’s anything we can do, looking at her life and what she managed to cram in in 27 years, it's to help others because that’s what she’d be most proud of,’ he added.

Ryan and Anna, who was ‘cat crazy’, had been married only six weeks when she died suddenly at their home, where they owned three cats.

‘Cats are very close to our heart, where we got married in Kos, Greece, we raised a few thousand for a cat charity there,’ added Ryan.

The tragic incident, which came as a ‘complete shock’ to all that knew Anna, has led her family and friends to call for increased public awareness surrounding the topic of thrombosis, to improve early detection and prevent other families from suffering.

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‘Really the biggest thing we want to come out of it is to raise awareness of blood clots and thrombosis, it is something that can happen in young people like Anna, as we know,’ Ryan said.

At least 20 of the young woman's family and friends, including her mother Janine – who Anna described on her Instagram as her ‘best friend’ – are raising money for Thrombosis UK with a 10-mile walk from her memorial bench in Fareham to Bonita’s, in Southsea, Anna’s favourite cocktail bar. Over £1,000 has already been raised in her name.

‘It seems like a fitting tribute,’ said Anna’s aunt, Andrea Webb.

‘We can’t get Anna back, all we can do is make sure it doesn’t happen to someone else,’ she added.

Symptoms of Deep Vein Thrombosis in the leg are:

- throbbing or cramping pain in 1 leg (rarely both legs), usually in the calf or thigh

- swelling in 1 leg (rarely both legs)

- warm skin around the painful area

- red or darkened skin around the painful area

- swollen veins that are hard or sore when you touch them

- These symptoms can also happen in your arm or tummy if that's where the blood clot is.

You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.