SADS Week 2015

SADS Week 2015

Sads Awareness Week

3-10 October 2015

The Joe Humphries Memorial Trust (JHMT) has established SADS Awareness Week to mark the anniversary of the loss to Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS) victim 14 year old Joe Humphries from Rothley who suddenly collapsed and died whilst out jogging on 4th October 2012.

To mark this key milestone in the JHMT calendar, the Trust is launching four powerful and informative sports orientated posters to make more people aware of the dangers of SADS. These are on display within GP surgeries, schools and public venues in the city and county. This year's SADS theme: #beHEARTsafe is primarily focused on encouraging sports clubs, leagues and, those responsible for organising events to be better prepared to save a life by more people involved in sport to be trained in basic CPR skills,know how to use a defibrillator and the importance of having quick access to this vital piece of lifesaving equipment.

A defibrillator really is a team's 12th man as the early intervention of effective CPR and shocking the heart with a defibrillator can save someone's life.

SADS Awareness Week in the city and county during the first week of October every year is a good opportunity for us to remind Leicestershire's citizens of how important it is to be able to do CPR to save someone's life in cardiac arrest, and how easy it is to learn CPR, either from classes or even getting the basics off the Internet. Doctors, nurses and ambulance staff in our city and county are very proud of the Leicestershire schools Heartsafe CPR programme to train thousands of school-children in secondary schools. In addition, thanks to the support of the Leicester City Council, the Trust has extended its reach beyond the school gates by delivering, for free, the Joe's Mini HeartStart for Sports Clubs lifesaving programme to a growing number of sport clubs and groups in the community looking to create the safest possible sporting environment for all. This year marks our third annual medical conference, teaching health and sports staff that teenagers and young people can have an undiagnosed heart problem. Sometimes the first sign of having one of these heart conditions is collapsing when you push your heart hard, during exercise. It is important to realise though, that doing sports activities is usually good for your heart, so this year's SADS week coinciding with the Rugby World Cup means that we can give a positive message about playing sport, but playing safe and being aware of Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome. "Arrhythmic" means that the heart goes into an abnormal rhythm (beat) which can result in either a faint, or a full cardiac arrest (heart stopping and death).
Dr Ffion Davies, Consultant Specialist in Emergency Medicine, UHL NHS Trust
I'm proud to back the #beHeartsafe campaign and SADS Week 2015. This is such an important cause, it's vital that we raise awareness of sudden heart deaths in young people and campaign for sports clubs and other community groups to #beHeartsafe. Having access to a defibrillator is key as is ensuring players and officials, as well as coaches, are familar in how to use one and also have basic CPR skills. This should form part of a sporting club's duty of care to protect players as well as everyone else involved in sport and recreational activity. SADS Week this year coincides with Leicester hosting games for the Rugby World Cup. I want to share the message with the rugby family in Leicestershire and beyond that they can join other sports clubs in learning CPR, getting life-saving equipment in place and joining us in the fight against SADS.
Martin Johnson CBE patron of JHMT
Now we know that an increasing number of seemingly fit and healthy young people like Joe can be susceptible to undiagnosed heart conditions, triggered by exercise, parents need to know that their children are in the safest possible environment when they go off and play sports, so we're also lobbying sports clubs and community venues to fit defibrillators. As common as fire extinguishers has to be the goal for AED placement.
Steve Humphries, chair of JHMT

Show Your Support

Help JHMT save young heartbeats

Join our #beHEARTsafe sports poster campaign

  • Print off the #beHEARTsafe campaign posters above and put it up in the office or home. Share with friends and family. We have four campaign posters: We Save goals, they save lives – Don't be caught out, be HEARTsafe – I can score tries. Trying these scores and When I'm older I want to be a……
  • You can also download a copy of the 'Every team needs the 12th man' screen save advert to promote the week on your Facebook and Twitter home page.

Download Instructions

  1. Right-click on the link to the file you want to download.
  2. Choose "Save Target As …"
  3. Choose where you want to save the file on your hard drive.
  4. Click 'Save'.