Defibrillator saves Chippenham ace's life
CHIPPENHAM TOWN chairman Neil Blackmore has praised the life-saving efforts of the medical experts following Pablo Martinez's mid-game cardiac arrest – and urged all clubs and facilities to make sure they have a defibrillator on hand.
The 21-year-old is expected to leave hospital this week having been fitted with an ICD (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator) like Denmark international Christian Eriksen.
Martinez collapsed during the Bluebirds' National League South game with Chelmsford City last weekend.
First team therapist Anton Forbes found the former Bristol Rovers defender was unresponsive and immediately began CPR along with other staff members.
By the time he was taken to Bristol hospital, the Welshman was sitting up – and even asked if he could play on Tuesday!
“It was a real shock – you just don't expect to see it,” Blackmore told The NLP. I've been in football for a number of years and seen quite a lot of injuries. Broken legs, dislocated joints, cuts and things like that.
“But to see the club's doctor knelt over him doing CPR is really shocking and hopefully we never see it again.
Fantastic
“The way everybody reacted was fantastic. He collapsed and straightaway the physio and a team-mate, who is first aid trained, came onto the pitch and turned him over. Anton, the physio, said, ‘He's stopped breathing'. Straightaway they started CPR. Our club doctor and paramedic ran on – they got the defib out and gave him a shock and he came around first time.
“The emergency services were fantastic too. Literally within minutes we had two ambulances and a rapid responder and a few minutes later an air ambulance landed. I can't praise them highly enough.
“By the time he left in a land ambulance he was sat up and gave us a wave. He actually said to the doctor from the helicopter, ‘Will I be OK to play on Tuesday?'”
The midweek game against Oxford City was postponed to allow the Chippenham players time to process the incident but the club have said doctors say there is no reason why Martinez can't play in the future.
And Blackmore said it has hit home quite how important a defibrillator is.
“It sits in the cupboard and it comes out once a year to be serviced,” he said. “You don't think you're ever going to use it. That day you need it, you can't put a value on it. It saved Pablo's life.
“I would say to everyone, it doesn't matter if you're a sports club or not, if you haven't got access too a defib, please get one. Get some funding, get some sponsorship, get yourself a defib. They are really easy to use and hopefully it will sit in your cupboard and never be used. But that day you need it, it's an amazing piece of medical kit.
“I can't thank everybody enough. Our staff and players, also Chelmsford City's staff and players. The fans were great and moved away from the side of the pitch he was. Everybody was just fantastic.”
Gary Horgan's side returned to action yesterday at Worthing and Blackmore says they have been supporting the squad after such a traumatic event.
“That was the manager's concern – playing on Tuesday straight after without any time to think about it or talk about it,” Blackmore said.
“They came in Tuesday. Talked about it, the club doctor was there for any explanations anybody wanted and then they went out for a light session.
“Pablo is a really nice lad and gets on with everybody. Not that they needed to, but this has probably brought the team even closer together. It's enforced the bond they already had.”
