A Perthshire family have renewed calls for widespread heart screening as the Premier League footballer Fabrice Muamba continues to fight for his life.
The Bolton Wanderers player remains in a critical condition at a London hospital following his cardiac arrest during an FA Cup tie at Tottenham on Saturday.
The horrific scenes, which were broadcast live from White Hart Lane, held particular relevance for Breadalbane Academy teachers Hazel and Gordon Murch. They were left devastated when their 21-year-old son Andrew died in 2007 as a result of heart failure while he slept. Since then they have campaigned for routine heart screening for young people.
Towards the end of last month, the couple were given a major boost when a number of senior pupils at the school had their hearts tested. The students completed a questionnaire, a clinical examination and an electrocardiogram through the Scottish Government-funded CAYA programme (Cardiac Assessment of Young Athletes).
”My ambition has always been to offer this in schools,” said Mrs Murch. ”It’s a horrendous situation we are in at the moment and I won’t stop campaigning until testing becomes boringly routine.
”I know there are costs involved in doing this but the upset for families who suddenly realise their child is gone is a far greater price to pay.”
The FA Cup sixth-round match was abandoned after 41 minutes when Mr Muamba collapsed on the pitch with no-one around him.
Medics spent six minutes trying to resuscitate him on the field before he was rushed to the intensive care unit of the heart attack centre at the London Chest Hospital.
Heart disease is most commonly associated with older people, but the events at the weekend have hit home the stark reality that it can strike anyone, irrespective of age.
Exactly a week before Mr Muamba was taken to hospital tragedy struck Dundee’s amateur football leagues when 20-year-old Shaun Kelly collapsed and died while playing for his team the Thomson Gunners at Drumgeith Park, Dundee.
The funeral of the father-of-one, who was expecting a second child with his partner Lisa Hansen, was held on Tuesday morning at St Pius X in Douglas.
Shaun’s family have been too upset to speak, but Mrs Murch said she understands how the family are feeling.
”When I heard about Shaun’s death it stirred a lot of emotions and opened up a wound that has never fully healed,” she continued. ”I have very little memory of going to my son’s funeral. You have no idea of what is going on.
”In retrospect I wonder how I managed to do what Shaun’s family are doing today. When you find out your child is dead it is utter shock.
”You often hear the line ‘It’s every parents worst nightmare’ but it really is,” added Mrs Murch.
Each year there are about 500 deaths in the UK from cardiac arrest among the under-30s.
Photo by Stephen Pond/PA Wire