CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN'S cardiac arrest during Denmark's Euro 2020 game with Finland has only underlined the importance of CPR training and defibrillators for Charlie Edinburgh and Astley Mulholland.
The incident played out in the world's spotlight and has promoted a groundswell of support for the campaigns the duo are running to make defibs mandatory in England.
For Charlie, son of the late Justin Edinburgh, the Eriksen incident came just a few days after the second anniversary of his dad's death after he suffered a cardiac arrest in a gym just weeks after lifting the National League title with Leyton Orient.
And Eriksen's collapse brought back difficult emotions.
“It wasn't nice watching, that's for sure – if anything I'd say it was quite horrifying,” Edinburgh, who is fighting through the JE3 Foundation for defibrillators to be in all sports facilities by law, told The NLP. “I was sat with my mum at the time and it brought so much back to the surface for us. You've got to look at the positives out of it. From reports, Christian is recovering well and that's the good news. But it was really tough watching.
“I know they shouldn't really have shown it, but people were able to witness just how effective the CPR was. From the moment he hit the ground, the players' and referee's awareness, the Denmark captain cleared his airwaves and got him in a position so the medics could start their work – we talk about a chain of survival and that was near on as perfect as you can get.
“We should focus on what an amazing, amazing job the medics did. Ultimately, great and effective CPR and the defibrillator is the pivotal thing. That's the difference. You need to get a defibrillator onto the heart in cardiac arrest asap.”
In the UK there are more than 30,000 out of hospital cardiac arrests each year. Survival, with no defibrillator on site, is a one in ten chance.
And Edinburgh believes Eriksen's event playing out on such a big stage has amplified the message he and others have.
“More than anything, for us, it's getting people on board with Justin's Law,” Edinburgh said. “We want to get as many signatures on our change. org petition because it only assists and aids our push for the law change.
“Ultimately, it takes an event like Saturday to occur to bring it back to the forefront. As we all know, life moves on and there will be another tragedy that creeps up. It's so important to hammer home the message that defibrillators save lives – it's as simple as that.”
Trafford attacking midfielder Mulholland has a similar drive. His brother Kyle died in 2005 after suffering a cardiac arrest while playing football.
He is fighting for all football clubs throughout the Non-League Pyramid to have a defib on site in case the very worst happens and has been boosted by Manchester United's Jesse Lingard promoting his cause on social media.
FA GUIDANCE OVER DEFIBRILLATORS ETC…
SINCE 2012 The FA has partnered with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and during that time we have rolled out a number of AED (Automated external defibrillator) programmes together to support football at all levels of the game. We worked with Wel Medical to distribute AEDs to clubs below professional level for a heavily subsidised price.
Phases 1 & 2 of this initiative between The FA and the BHF were a tremendous success with a large number of defibrillators obtained by clubs. Clubs can continue to purchase life-saving iPAD SP1 defibrillators for the special price of £750+VAT (usual cost £1325+VAT). Clubs can register and purchase a defibrillator at: www.footballdefibs.org
It is a requirement of charter standard that coaches and clubs have Introduction to First Aid in Football (IFAiF) trained persons present. In the IFAiF course there is a requirement to learn how to resuscitate and use an AED.
If there is not an AED at a club facility, the Emergency Action Plan should list the location of the nearest AED so that one can be brought to the venue as soon as possible. But the trainers do advocate clubs should have access to an AED at training and games as best practice.
Eye-opener
“Eriksen was a massive eye-opener for people but, for me, my eyes have always been open,” Mulholland told The NLP. “He's a fit guy but it can happen to anyone.
“He's getting tested probably every year but it shows it can still happen. But with the right CPR training and right equipment you've got a good chance of survival as opposed not having the right CPR or defibs to hand.”
Non-League has experienced tragedy in recent years with death during a game of Shaw Lane's Daniel Wilkinson.
And Mulholland has renewed his push for change and points out the equipment might not just be needed for players.
“You go to a football ground and someone in the crowd has a cardiac arrest, there would be a defib to hand,” Mulholland said. “I've played football all my life. Ever since the passing of my brother, there's not a day where I go to football and don't think about it. It's always in the back of my mind. Other players, rightly so, are thinking they've got an important game. My first thought is, ‘Am I going to get home?'. I've had scans so I know I am healthy. But Eriksen would have as well.”
Edinburgh and Mulholland plan to meet up in the coming weeks to discuss their common goal.
“I spoke to Charlie and I know he has been campaigning for the last couple of years and getting exposure which is brilliant,” Mulholland said.
“You need a starting point. The plan, because I am from Manchester, my aim is to get the north west sorted and branch out from there – see what funding we can get and backing from the FA and government.”
Mulholland believes defibs should be thought of the same as other life saving equipment.
“You have fire extinguishers in every building don't you?” he said.
Edinburgh says having the confidence to help someone who has a cardiac arrest is also vital.
“My message, and the message of everyone at JE3, is to go and learn CPR and locate your nearest defibrillator.”
Justin's Law petition change.org/p/uk-parliament-justins-law-defibrillators-in-all-health-and-sports-facilities-in-the-uk
