The JHMT was set up after the death of Rothley teenager Joe Humphries in October 2012. Joe died from SADS while out on a training jog near his home. SADS stands for sudden arrhythmic death syndrome, a collective term for a group of deadly genetic heart conditions which cause a disturbance with the heart rhythm and can lead to sudden cardiac arrest.

Every year during the week of the anniversary of Joe's untimely death, JHMT hold the annual SADS Awareness Week to remind and educate healthcare professionals, sports-related professionals and parents and carers of young people about the dangers of undiagnosed heart conditions like SADS. Every week in the UK, 12 young people (12-35 years old) die due to undiagnosed genetic heart conditions like SADS.

This year the JHMT SADS awareness week programme will be a hybrid version combining the use of online social media platforms to raise awareness of sudden cardiac death and SADS prevention in the young and the Trust's community 'hands-on' lifesaving training proogrramme with local sports clubs and groups.

To launch the week, on Monday 3 October, JHMT joins forces with EMAS and Leicester City Council to urge defibrillator guardians to register their device on the national database, called The Circuit.

On Wednesday the 5^th of June, we highlight the role of the ICC clinic in Leicester. We are once again delighted to have patient representation in SADS week and get to hear the incredible story of James, and how he lives life with an ICC and an ICD in place. We hope to share joint content of the clinic with our partnership with UHL.

In addition, Dr Steve Mears (Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Nutrition, Loughborough University) once again reminds us of the importance of why exercise is so important for us all!

On Thursday 6th October, the SADS in sport talk & training to students on the Talented Athletes Scholarship Scheme (TASS) will take place at Loughborough College.

Dr Harshil Dhutia, Consultant Cardiologist at Glenfield Hospital and JHMT medical lead, will also give a key insight into how someone copes living with an inherited cardiac condition (ICC). He will also highlight some of the work done by the ICC clinic at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.

The week will also give another opportunity to raise awareness of UK Coaching's free lifesaving eLearning toolkit for sports coaches, personal trainers, club officials, referees, volunteers, parents, players and spectators. The toolkit, funded by Sport England was developed in 2021 in collaboration with The Joe Humphries Memorial Trust, Resuscitation Council and St John Ambulance.

If anyone needed a reminder about the importance of being prepared and equipped for a cardiac emergency, it was on 12th June earlier last year at the Euros when the world watched on as Denmark's Christian Eriksen suddenly collapsed in cardiac arrest which came with no warning.

Dr Harshil Dhutia, Consultant Cardiologist and specialist in inherited cardiac conditions, Glenfield Hospital, University Hospitals of Leicester and Medical lead for JHMT said: "On behalf of the Joe Humphries Memorial Trust, ( JHMT) I would like to welcome you all to SADS awareness week 2022. This week marks the 10th anniversary of the untimely death of teenager Joe Humphries due to SADS in 2012. The focus of the JHMT SADS awareness week is to remind and educate healthcare professionals, sports-related professionals and parents and carers of young people about the dangers of undiagnosed heart conditions like SADS. During the week, several education and training activities pertinent to sudden cardiac death and SADS prevention in the young will take place across Leicestershire and displayed across various digital platforms.

"We have several exciting events planned, including several in person CPR and AED training events. SADS week will also showcase the collaborative work done by JHMT and partners University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust , East Midlands Ambulance Services and Leicester City Council - Public Health with an overarching aim in ensuring equitable access to AED/CPR across Leicestershire and offering state of the art medical care for young people with ICCs and their family members. Patient representation is an important aspect of SADS week and this year we get to hear the inspirational story of young James on how he lives life with an inherited cardiac condition and a defibrillator. We will also provide on update on UK coaching training module , launched in 2021 aiming to training coaches at all levels of sport as first responders in the event of cardiac arrest.

"We look forward to your participation in the week and thank you for your continued support."

As well as providing free CPR and defibrillator training, the JHMT works hard to raise awareness of sudden heart deaths, helps to provide community defibrillators and runs Inspire, a local grants scheme for inspirational young people , 13 – 21 year's old - https://www.jhmt.org.uk/inspire

To find out more about the JHMT and its work, visit www.jhmt.org.uk

You can also follow SADS Awareness Week events and activities on Facebook and Twitter: facebook.com/jhmtorguk or @jhmt.org.uk

and on the JHMT website at https://www.jhmt.org.uk/sads-week-2022 ( the SADS Week 2022 web page will go live on Sunday 2nd October pm)