Campaign Launches SADS Awareness Week

The campaign comes after LCFC Foxes Foundation confirmed its five partner charities for the 2013/14 season, which included the LCFC Defibrillator Appeal – a drive to raise funds to purchase life-saving defibrillators for key areas around Leicestershire.

The Joe Humphries Memorial Trust (JHMT) has established SADS Week to mark the first anniversary of the loss of SADS victim 14 year-old Joe Humphries from Rothley, who collapsed and died whilst out running in October 2012.

The week of activities  – running to 4 October – will begin with a campaign featuring two powerful posters, which aim to get people talking about SADS. They will be on display will in GP surgeries, schools and public venues in the city and county.

Joe’s school, De Lisle College in Loughborough, is also dedicating the week to raising awareness of SADS, and will be launching a photographic competition as part of the club set up at the school with support from the Trust. The school is also holding a non-uniform day and a community day.

The Trust – which was set up by Joe’s family and friends and has rugby legend Martin Johnson as its patron, has spent the past 11 months raising awareness of SADS across Leicester and Leicestershire.

Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome claims the lives of 12 young people aged 12 to 35 years old every week in the UK alone. Known as the adult version of cot death, the group of subtle heart diseases can strike fit and healthy young people without warning.

JHMT Chair and Joe’s dad Steve Humphries said: “A year ago our lives were changed forever with the sudden and tragic loss of our beautiful son Joe. This was further compounded within the days that followed when we learned that 12 young people fall as victims to SADS every week in the UK.

“From that moment onwards we pledged to break the silence that existed before Joe’s tragedy and to expose SADS like never before, to try and prevent any other families suffering a lifetime of unnecessary torture.”

During the past 12 months the Trust has also been working hard to get CPR training under way along with the placement of defibrillators in city and county schools, sports clubs and communities.

Dr Ffion Davies, member of the Trust and Consultant in Emergency Paediatric Medicine for University Hospitals Leicester NHS Trust said: “SADS kills 12 children and young adults per week, but people may not know anything about it and if they do, they may assume that nothing can be done to prevent deaths.

“This is not true - some people have warning signs, and with greater awareness, are more likely to consult their GP. Even with no warning, CPR started within a minute of collapse, and electrical debrillation of the heart within eight minutes, greatly improves the chances of survival.

“These machines are now found in lots of public places. In countries such as America and Italy, early detection of heart conditions combined with good CPR skills in the general public and defibrillator machines situated in public areas, means that the death rate has fallen dramatically. The Joe Humphries Memorial Trust wants to achieve the same success in reducing these tragic deaths, across Leicestershire and the rest of the UK.”

Following on from SADS Awareness Week, UHL Leicester NHS Trust working in partnership with the JHMT has organised a SADS awareness conference for health professionals from across the country. The conference will take place at Glenfield Hospital on Monday 4 November.

Trust patron Martin Johnson will be a keynote speaker at the event, along with Dr Graham Stuart, Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist, for University Hospitals Bristol.

For more information about SADS Awareness Week, the Glenfield Hospital conference, and the work of the Trust, go to  or or tweet

The SADS poster will be available for downloading from