Sads Awareness Week
1-8 October 2016
The Joe Humphries Memorial Trust (JHMT) has established SADS Awareness Week to mark the anniversary of the loss to Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS) victim 14 year old Joe Humphries from Rothley who suddenly collapsed and died whilst out jogging on 4th October 2012.
To mark this key milestone in the JHMT calendar, this year's theme is all about the importance of 'Time', as every 'second' counts to save a life should someone suffer a cardiac arrest which can happen to anyone, anywhere and anytime. And as we are painfully reminded at this 'Time' of the year by the sudden and cruel loss of our dear and beautiful son Joe in October 2012. Every week 12 young people (12 – 35 years old) in the UK die due to undiagnosed heart conditions amongst the 30,000 out of hospital cardiac arrest witnessed by family members and friends and treatment by emergency services becomes possible. The survival rate is less than 10%. If bystanders who witness a sudden cardiac arrest in the home or community have basic hands on CPR skills and quick access to an automated external defibrillator, many precious lives can be saved.
These are preventable deaths and can cause untold, life-long suffering for those left behind. You can be the difference this SADS Week by taking a few simple measures to learn how to save a life – pledge to take 'Time Out':
- to learn more about SADS – Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome which can strike without any warning in seemingly fit and healthy young people between 12 - 35 years old. "Arrhythmic" means that the heart goes into an abnormal rhythm (beat) which can result in either a faint, or a full cardiac arrest (heart stopping and death).
- To attend either or both of the 2 x public SADS lectures held at Leicester General Hospital, 5/10 and Loughborough University 6/10 (see events programme below for full details). Medical practitioners can also attend the Friday medical forum on 'SADS' at Leicester Royal Infirmary at Friday 7/10.
- to find out more about how your sports club and group can become a member of the growing 'Heart Safe' sports community across the city and county – go to Joe's Mini HeartStart for Sports Clubs training programme.
- to download anyone of this year's powerful and informative 'your Time to save a life' posters. These are being distributed to GP surgeries, schools and public venues across the city and county. and put it up in the office or home. Share with friends and family. You can also download a copy of the 'Don't go breaking your heart' screen saver advert to promote the week on your Facebook and Twitter home page.
- to hashtag #TimetolearnCPR #CPRsaveslives #SADS #12AWeek
Each year, on the anniversary of Joe Humphries' untimely death, we hold the annual SADS Awareness Week where we remind and educate healthcare professionals, sports-related professionals and parents and carers of young people about the dangers of undiagnosed heart conditions like SADS. Year on year, we build on the awareness we raise of these undiagnosed heart conditions This year the JHMT medical team are providing three free lectures in conjunction with Leicester's hospitals. Included in the different audiences are the public, doctors at the University Hospitals of Leicester, and staff and students at Loughborough University. We will also offer a short session at the public events, for anyone who wants to learn how to do CPR - it only takes 2 minutes to learn!
The work goes on to ensure as many people as is possible learn more about these deadly heart conditions, which can strike seemingly fit and healthy young people without any warning. That's why I'm proud to back the JHMT. We need to change the shocking statistics that see 12 young people die each week from these silent killers. The JHMT is committed to raising awareness of sudden heart deaths, and its latest hard-hitting poster campaign will certainly help to do this. But its work doesn't stop there. JHMT is also taking the message directly to young people and to grassroots sports clubs, ensuring that as many people as possible are trained in these vital lifesaving skills and have quick access to a defibrillator . This training and equipment can make the difference between life and death if someone collapses in a cardiac emergency. What could be more important than that?
Show Your Support
Help JHMT save young heartbeats
Join our take 'TIME' to save a life - learn CPR & defibrilliation poster campaign
- Print off the TIME to learn CPR & defibrillation campaign posters above and put it up in the office or home. Share with friends and family.
- You can also download a copy of the Don't Go Breaking Your Heart screen save advert to promote the week on your Facebook and Twitter home page.
Download Instructions
- Right-click on the link to the file you want to download.
- Choose "Save Target As …"
- Choose where you want to save the file on your hard drive.
- Click 'Save'.
Forewarned is forearmed - Learn about SADS (Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome)
SADS is a group of lethal heart conditions that can cause sudden cardiac death in young people between 12 - 35 years. These conditions can be treated and deaths can be prevented. The Trust is working with the medical profession in Leicester and Leicestershire to ensure all families of young people are made fully aware of what symptoms to look out for and the measures that can be taken to prevent further unnecessary sudden deaths like Joe - 'I feel it's something that all parents need to be aware of. If you don't have the information you can't make a choice' - Martin Johnson CBE patron of JHMT
For further information see SADS and the symptoms to look out for
Every Seconds Counts to Save a Life - Learn CPR and how to use a Defibrillator
One of the key priorities for JHMT over the past five years has been our focus on shifting attitudes on the importance of creating a new generation of life-savers who have the basic lifesaving CPR skills in knowing how to save a life. This investment in other European countries and USA has, over time, resulted in increasing survival rates in these countries to 56% compared to only 10% UK. A heart attack is different from a cardiac arrest: during a heart attack the heart will continue to beat but in a cardiac arrest the heart stops beating and no blood reaches vital organs and these become badly damaged. It takes minutes to for this situation to become irreversible, but only seconds to start CPR and save a life.
Dr Mike Ferguson, JHMT said: "Sadly, in the UK, there are 60,000 cardiac arrests every year in the community. Half of these are witnessed, often by family and friends, but the survival rate is less than 10 per cent.
"Only 20 per cent of victims are in a 'shockable rhythm', which is treatable by defibrillation, by the time an ambulance arrives. Survival is much more likely when a shockable rhythm is present.
"The proportion of people in a shockable rhythm could be increased if more cardiac arrest victims received immediate and effective CPR from bystanders. That's why we're so keen to provide this vitally important training and make sure as many people as possible know what to do to increase someone's chances of survival.
"Many school children have been given training in CPR. With the help of many sports clubs JHMT is now concentrating on getting public access defibrillators in, or close to, sports facilities and expanding the basic training to all sports participants.
"With cardiac arrest, it is better for a bystander to do something than to do nothing."
For more information on how you can save a life, please read our instructions on how to carry out basic CPR
Other links:
Join Joe's army of Volunteers
If you want to go the extra mile to help Joe's Trust raise awareness and reduce the incidence of sudden, cardiac death in young people, 12 - 35 years old, please come and join us. It doesn't matter whether you can sponsor an event, taking part in fundraising activities, hand out leaflets for an hour, or make a cup of tea.
Join Joe's growing army of volunteers who go the extra mile to make a difference to help JHMT save young heart beats