By Andrew Cooney
A major summit at Westminster which was prompted by the death of a Leigh teenager has generated revolutionary ideas to tackle death in young athletes.
Coincidentally, it was two years to the day after the death of talented Daniel Young that representatives from the worlds of health and football met with a local MP Andy Burnham.
Daniel, of Tyldesley Road in Atherton, died minutes after scoring a goal in an amateur football match despite frantic efforts to revive the 16-year-old on the pitch. It was later discovered he had an enlarged heart.
Mr Burnham, who organised the summit, managed to attract high-profile guests to the meeting, including PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor and former Leyton Orient player Andy Scott, who suffered a heart attack on the football pitch.
Mr Burnham said: “Everyone was behind the idea of defibrillators at a clubs which can be used to resuscitate heart attack victims. they’ve become a lot cheaper, safer and easier to use over the last few years.
“One of the biggest things to come out of the meeting was that the National Health director said he would ask the Department of Health to carry out a cost/benefit analysis of whether a national screening programme could be justified.
“If it can’t, then we will look at the other options such as an awareness campaign. Everyone at the meeting accepted that something more should be done. I want to secure something permanent in memory of Daniel.
“Professional football does a lot in terms of screening for heart defects but it’s not common in the amateur game.”
Mr Burnham is hoping to secure funding for the project from the Football Foundation to implement the ideas discussed.
Daniel’s mum Dionne, who has campaigned tirelessly on the issue since her son’s death, said: “I think it’s excellent and all we’ve ever wanted was for someone to stand up and acknowledge what was happening among sports players.
“Somebody had to do something about this problem and it all seems to be moving in the right direction.
“I’d just like to thank everyone who has supported this campaign and been so helpful.”
The representatives from the Football Association, the Football Foundation, Cardiac Risk in the Young, the Department of Health and the PFA, will meet again in January to discuss ways of taking their ideas forwards.
