Every Irish League player and fan should learn CPR... you could save a life
Andrew Martin's health scare while playing for Newry City against Linfield has sparked more awareness over health conditions
On my way home from work one evening back in 2003, I felt most unwell.
I drove straight to my GP’s surgery where, after an ECG and treatment, I was then taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital by ambulance.
The doctors told me it was an unexplained episode relating to my heart. It kept me out of the dugout for three weeks.
It was during one of those periods when my position at Windsor Park was being called into question. A few days earlier, we had drawn 2-2 at home to Omagh Town, fighting back from 2-0 down with Pat McShane scoring a late equaliser. We will never know for sure, but perhaps the stress of that situation took its toll on me.
I’ll be forever grateful for my GP Dr Colin Hegan who, I believe, prevented the situation from getting worse with his swift thinking.
It was frightening and totally unexpected.
I’m far from the only person to have suffered a heart scare. At Euro 2020, Denmark’s Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch. Luton Town’s Tom Lockyer collapsed twice in 2023, while closer to home, Newry City’s Andrew Martin took chest pains in a game against Linfield earlier in the 2023/24 season.
We’ve also seen multiple games across the world stopped in recent seasons when a spectator has taken ill in the crowd.
With all that in mind, I was delighted to read that the NI Football League has linked up with the British Heart Foundation. As a result of the partnership, more than 1500 Irish League players and coaches will be given the opportunity to learn vital life-saving skills during Heart Month in February.
Glenavon were the first football club to receive the RevivR training this week, and
Read on belfasttelegraph.co.uk
