Yellowknife (July 09/03) - Ernestine Lafferty lost her best friend last month.

Agnes Estembo, who was 29-years-old and three months pregnant, died on June 23 when a blood clot in one of the major veins in her leg broke off and travelled to her lungs.

The two women grew up together in Rae. Their children played together and they relied on each other's friendship.

"She gave me good advice," said Lafferty.

Estembo worked for the NWT Literacy Council. Before that, she was the Victim Services Coordinator at the NWT Native Womens' Association.

She found out about the blood clot two weeks before she died, said Lafferty, and was taking medication for it.

The day before she died, Lafferty said Estembo called her, complaining of breathing problems. "She said she was going to take a nap... I told her to go to the hospital, but she said she was okay."

"I miss her already," said Lafferty. "It happened too fast. It was too sad."

Estembo was excited about having her baby, said Lafferty. "She kept saying 'I know it's a girl.'"

Her co-workers at the NWT Native Women's Association say Estembo was a woman who chose caring professions.

"We lost someone like that," said the association's executive director Audrey Zoe.

"It's not often we get someone like that."

NWT Chief Medical Officer Andre Corriveau said clotting is something more commonly found in older people.

Corriveau said he is not an expert in this area, but believes there are procedures to remove or control blood clots.

He added the problem has been known to develop quite quickly, but could not comment on this situation without having the details.

NWT Chief Coroner Percy Kinney is reviewing the situation and plans to discuss it with the family.