Angels leading new heart campaign after tragedy

By David Watters

Tonbridge Angels

Ryman Premier Tonbridge Angels are leading a campaign for more than six hundred footballers in Kent to undergo heart screening following the death of trialist Junior Dian.

The 23-year-old defender collapsed on the pitch while playing for Angels against Whyteleafe in a pre-season friendly at Church Road on Tuesday 7 July. Despite being rushed to hospital after being treated at the scene by the medical teams of both clubs, he died hours later at St George's Hospital in south west London.

To help ensure they are never hit by a similar tragedy, the Angels announced on Saturday that they would be working with the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (C-R-Y) to introduce heart screening for all their players, together with other Kent footballers between the ages of 14 and 35.

Officials say the programme will be up and running within the next six months with the club teaming up with a number of others in Kent to raise an expected £21,000 of funding the initiative needs to reduce the cost to £35 per player at three screening weekends planned in January, February and April 2016.

Tonbridge Angels chairman Steve Churcher estimates their share of the Kent wide Football Fightback programme will be around £7000 but believes it is a small price to pay if a life can be saved.

An amazing £4000 has already been raised in the last few days by fans donating at www.justgiving.com/footballfightback and Churcher said: "Since the tragic events, I’ve learnt that 12 apparently fit and healthy young people die suddenly in the UK every week.

"In Italy, where screening is mandatory for all young people engaged in organised sport they have reduced the incidence of young sudden cardiac death by 89 per cent which is an incredible statistic. This time next year every single one of our players from 14 to 34 will be screened."

He added: "Whilst it will never bring Junior back, we hope that it will minimise the possibility of ever having to lose a player under these circumstances again."

* Awareness around the dangers of sudden cardiac arrests in football was heightened in March 2012 when former England Under-21 star Fabrice Muamba made a remarkable recovery after suffering a cardiac arrest while playing for Bolton Wanderers against Tottenham Hotspur in an FA Cup tie at White Hart Lane.

Only around 1 in 10 people normally survive a witnessed, out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the UK and the FA teamed up with the British Heart Foundation a year later to launch a £1.2m Defibrillator Fund to subsidise the costs of life-saving treatment at more than 900 Non-League clubs playing at Steps 1-6.

Instead of paying around £1000 for a defibrillator, the initiative saw clubs pay just over £300, knocking two thirds off the cost.

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