The six-year programme, sponsored by Mrs. Brown’s Boys and endorsed by stars Brendan O’Carroll and his wife Jenny, kicked off last January and already over 1600 boys and girls have been screened in the National Leagues.
Mrs. Brown’s Boys have committed €430,000 over six years to the programme which has been developed under the guidance of FAI Medical Director, Dr Alan Byrne.
The Heart Care Programme has already referred 85 young footballers for cardiology assessment and treatment, 50 of these referrals were based on ECG results, 30 on physical examination and/or symptoms and 5 on family history.
In one case, a 15-year-old boy is now under the care of a cardiologist and undergoing keyhole surgery in the next 12 months after the discovery of a heart murmur.
A 13-year-old boy underwent a cardiac ablation in July following ECG readings outside the normal range while a 15-year-old boy will also undergo cardiac ablation but can continue to play football until his procedure.
With over 5,000 Sudden Cardiac Deaths in Ireland every year, Mrs. Brown’s Boys and the FAI are committed to expanding their Heart Care programme under the auspices of Advanced Medical Services who have carried out the screenings for National League players.
At a Press Conference at the FAI’s Headquarters at Abbotstown on Monday, details were also announced for a programme to introduce basic life support training nationwide for grassroots volunteers in 2020 with the first training courses conducted by Heartsafety Solutions scheduled for February. This training is Irish Heart Foundation certified and will cover CPR and the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).
As part of the programme, Heartsafety Solutions will donate two defibrillators for a raffle open to all participants who attend for CPR/AED training next year. Clubs can also get the health of their defibrillator units checked at the course venues with discounts available for the purchase of new Automatic External Defibrillators.
Speaking at the media briefing, Mrs. Brown’s Boys creator Brendan O’Carroll and his wife Jenny said: “We at Mrs. Brown’s Boys have been delighted with the success of the Heart Care Programme in year one and we look forward to the expansion of this programme in 2020 and the introduction of Basic Life Support training in grassroots football.
“Everything about this programme is designed to save lives and to reduce the Sudden Cardiac Death figures and we are delighted with the progress to date. Our thanks go to all the medical staff who have made this possible and to Dr Alan Byrne and his team at the FAI for co-ordinating the programme.”
Welcoming the new additions to the Heart Care Programme for 2020, FAI Medical Director Dr Alan Byrne said: “With the support of Mrs. Brown’s Boys, we have been able to ensure that more children and adolescents continue to play football in a safer and healthier environment.
“As sport plays such a significant part in the lives of so many young people in this country, this Programme is a major benefit to the health of our nation and we thank Brendan, Jenny and everyone involved with Mrs. Brown’s Boys for their commitment and support of this Heart Care Programme.”
Heartsafety Solutions Managing Director David Greville said: “For every minute that CPR and Defibrillation is delayed following a sudden cardiac arrest, the chance of survival is reduced by 10%. Therefore, equipping clubs and coaches with the skills and equipment required will definitely save lives in the future.”
Advanced Medical Services CEO Ed Donovan remarked: “We are delighted with the uptake from both the players and clubs involved in this important screening programme to date. The support from the FAI and of course Brendan and Jenny O’Carroll’s generosity has allowed for this potentially lifesaving service to become available to so many young soccer players.”
Coaches can log on to register for the CPR training at www.hearts.ie/fai