Dominic O’Loughlin was a happy, sports-mad youngster who was full of energy and lived for football. When he died at the age of 11 during a school games lesson his grieving family was determined to raise awareness of the rare heart condition which had cut his life tragically short.
The Dominic O’Loughlin Soccer Festival recently marked its tenth anniversary, attracting hundreds of young players to compete in the six-a-side tournament and raise money for the charity CRY – Cardiac Risk in the Young.
Dominic, who died in 1994, was captain of Clifton Rangers under-11 football team and was a top goals corer for his team. His parents Barry and Fiona had no idea he was suffering from the condition Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy or that by taking such an active part in sport he could be putting himself at increased risk.
Since Dominic’s death they have been vocal supporters of regular testing for young sportsmen and women in a bid to prevent a similar tragedy.
Mr O’Loughlin (left) said: “At least eight young people a week die suddenly of undetected heart conditions. Yet there is still a lot of ignorance in the medical profession.
“Occasionally cases hit the headlines – like that of Terry Yorath’s son Daniel – and people seem surprised and baffled but these unexplained deaths are happening al the time.
“In Italy all young people who want to take part in sport have to have their fitness checked out first. But here there is nothing.
“Things are improving but they are improving too slowly. In the meantime we know that an ECG could help to save lives. We are trying to encourage MPs to put pressure on the Department of Health to introduce screening.”
Top sportsmen including Ian Botham, Sir Steven Redgrave, Rob Andrew and Jeremy Bates are backing the campaign and have added their support to calls for better testing.
Ian Botham is honorary president of the CRY Centre of Sports Cardiology. Talking to the All Party Parliamentary Group at the House of Commons in 2002 he said: “We want all kids to have heart tests just as they do annually in Italy. Development of the Sports Cardiology Unit is crucial to underpin CRY’s very ambitious screening programme and save young lives.
“We must stop these terrible tragedies. Youngsters are dying needlessly – we can and must change things. At the end of the day these deaths are indiscriminate. They affect all sorts of people – amateur sportsmen, professional sportsmen, a guy playing on a pitch, a kid at a school sports day. It is something that must be addressed and has been swept under the carpet for too long.”
One of rower Steve Redgrave’s close friends and crewmates Robert Hayley died of a cardiac abnormality at just 17.
Mr and Mrs O’Loughlin have three daughters – Siobhan, 26, Francesca, 25 and 18-year-old Meriel – and one month ago they celebrated the birth of their first grandchild Joshua.
“We’ve coped with Dominic’s death as a family. When something like this happens it changes you as a person and it changes your perception of life. It makes you more sensitive and aware of what other people may be going through.”
Over the years, through the efforts of the O’Loughlin family and their friends and supporters, more than £16,000 has been raised for the memorial fund which was set up in their son’s name.
“We never set out to raise a lot of money and we didn’t set a target but somehow, through sponsored runs, raffles and donations, £16,000 has been collected. Our supporters have been very generous and we’ve received some great help with the festival.
“People like Mike Cresey and Terry and Debbie Gill were involved at the outset and are still involved now.”
Some of the money has been given to Yorkshire Air Ambulance and doctors in Leeds to buy heart and blood pressure equipment while £5,000 was spent on a heart monitor for Church Lane surgery in Brighouse.
“From the outset our motivation was not about fund-raising. It was about finding an appropriate and fitting way to remember our son Dominic.
“Thanks to the support of the teams and many individuals, the festival has gone from strength to strength and it’s really very gratifying to see so many young sportsmen enjoying themselves.”
