England rugby legend Johnson calls on Wigan coaches to get life-saving cardiac arrest training

Former England Rugby captain and Head Coach Martin Johnson has called on sports coaches across Wigan to get vital cardiac arrest training as part of a campaign to raise awareness of undiagnosed heart conditions.

Johnson is a patron of The Joe Humphries Memorial Trust, set up in 2012 to break the 'silence' on SADS (Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome), the condition that causes sudden and unexpected death from cardiac arrest after the tragic loss of teenager Joe Humphries, who died while out jogging with his friend in October 2012.

The call comes following a number of recent high-profile cardiac arrest incidents in professional sport but is specifically aimed at grassroots clubs and sports coaches who are often the first port of call when incidents happen on the pitch, court or in the gym.

Around 60,000 people in the UK have a cardiac arrest outside of hospital every year, half of which are witnessed, and it affects young people in particular - 12 people under the age of 35 in the UK die each week of sudden cardiac arrest.

However, effective action taken in the first minute of a sudden cardiac arrest can treble the chances of survival.

The charity has teamed up with UK Coaching to tackle the issue by offering free training for sports coaches and sports clubs.

The 30-minute online training gives learners the knowledge and skills to respond quickly to a sudden cardiac arrest.

Johnson, who famously captained England to World Cup glory in 2003, said: “Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) can affect anyone, regardless of age or fitness, including young people and high-performance athletes, but more lives could be saved if every sports club had an accessible AED, more people were able to recognise cardiac arrest, and those in sports clubs, but especially coaches, were trained to respond quickly in an emergency.”

SADS Week is a timely reminder for community sports clubs and organisations across Wigan to prepare for cardiac emergencies and improve safety on and off the field. The free course is a great way for coaches and anyone involved in sports clubs to get the training they need to be able to save lives. “

UK Coaching CEO Mark Gannon said: “What could be more vital than knowing how to save a life?

“Coaches have a powerful impact – transforming lives and strengthening communities through sport and physical activity. Sometimes, that impact can be life-saving in the most literal sense.

“That's why we came together to develop a digital learning toolkit to help reduce the fear and hesitation that often come with sudden cardiac emergencies. It empowers coaches to respond confidently and effectively. It's essential learning for coaches and anyone involved in sports clubs."

To find out more about the free course created by UK Coaching, JHMT, Resuscitation Council UK and St John Ambulance visit www.ukcoaching.org/courses and for more information on SADS Week go to www.jhmt.org.uk