Shrewsbury kidney patient, 56, who helped others died after heart problems
Barbara “Barb” Soden supported fellow kidney patients in Shropshire.
A kidney patient who worked hard to support others suffering similar conditions died at 56 due to heart problems, her inquest was told.
Barbara “Barb” Soden, who was a key figure in the Shropshire Kidney Patients Association (SKPA), died at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital on February 13 this year.
An inquest into her death was held at Shropshire Coroner’s Court, Guildhall, Shrewsbury yesterday (Monday, October 26). Her sister Caroline Morris and brother-in-law Kevin Morris were in attendance.
The court was told that Barb, from Shrewsbury, had a history of health difficulties, including “end stage” chronic kidney disease and diabetes.
On December 19 last year, she fainted at Newfairholme nursing home in Morda, Oswestry, where her mother lives, during a wreath making session.
Barb suffered a shattered patella, and had surgery to try and repair the knee well enough so she could walk again.
She initially spent six weeks in hospital, and was in and out not only for her regular dialysis but for the knee.
Barb went into RSH on February 11 for a “washout” of her knee, but the next day she was feeling “significantly unwell”.
She went into cardiac arrest in the early hours of the following day.
Medics tried CPR but, sadly, they couldn’t save her and Barb was pronounced dead at 4.24am.
A pathologist who carried out Barb’s post-mortem said she had an enlarged heart and it was in “poor health”.
Nicholas Walker, senior coroner for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, recorded a narrative conclusion that Barb died of natural causes, contributed to by a fall after which she fractured her knee.
“I offer my condolences to both of you,” he said. “It’s clearly been a difficult time.”
After the hearing, Caroline told the Shropshire Star: “She was very passionate about the SKPA. She was a very positive person, despite her health problems.
“She had a lot of love from people. We had a lot of lovely messages after she died.”
Caroline said Barb, a chef by trade, didn’t let her conditions stop her from making the most of life, travelling to places like Italy - finding a way to get her dialysis while abroad.
She was an animal lover, and had a cat called Nora and a beloved border collie named Hollie, who died in 2024.
Her husband Martyn died in 2021.
In her work with the SKPA, Barb helped get grants for people with reduced mobility, organised trips out for dialysis patients to places like Blackpool, Southport and Llandudno, and offered advice and support to people.
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