A Perth mother whose teenage daughter died after an intense exercise regime has begged others not to follow in her footsteps.
Jessica Lindsey was preparing for a Muay Thai fight and on the day of her weigh-in last month, the 18-year-old collapsed and never woke up.
“It was one bad weight cut, one bad weight cut that caused this to a very, very healthy 18-year-old,” her mother Sharon Lindsay told 7 News.
To prepare for an amateur fight Jessica had to drop weight fast and was put on an intense training regime.
“She was doing the excessive running, training and eating lean,” Ms Lindsay said.
In the lead up to her fight, she was running in a sweat suit, taking salt baths and reducing her water intake and she didn’t slow down even the day before.
She was so dehydrated, her organs had started shutting down and her family was forced to make the heartbreaking decision to turn off her life support.
“I challenge anyone to go into an ICU to witness what we had to witness for four days straight and then being told to make that horrific decision,” Sharon said.
The chief medical advisor to the Combat Sports Commission is demanding fighters have a finger prick test to determine whether they’re dehydrated, and if they are, they shouldn’t be allowed to compete.
It’s a change her mum is pleading for as well.
“Anyone who is doing this should wake up now, don’t think it can’t happen to you, this could be you.”
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