LX HOCKEY CLUB – CHARITY OF THE YEAR – BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION

In recent years LX Hockey Club have selected a 'Charity of the Year' to support during any season. For 2022/23 our chosen charity is the British Heart Foundation.

Playing Grand Masters hockey at our age, that is 60 years and above, we know the risks of suffering from heart disease, stroke and vascular dementia are greater. The spectre of a heart attack is always around which is why we ensure we always have a defibrillator close at hand – and here is one such story where having a defibrillator pitch side ensured a life was saved and the player was able to return to the sport that they loved just a few months later.

This is the story of Roger Lomas from Sheffield Hockey Club:

The weekend of 15th/16th February 2020 was my fifth anniversary of having a cardiac arrest on the pitch in a Sheffield 7th v 8th league game at Abbeydale Sports Club.

I can never thank those who brought me back enough, allowing me to continue playing and fulfilling my caring roll. Fortunately, I have made a full recovery and who would have thought that five years later I would be selected for my first England cap for the England o75 at Breda in April 2020, and for the World Masters Hockey World Cup in Tokyo scheduled for later in November the same year.

Thanks again to all those who made sure I am still here. I was lucky to be in the right place for it to happen with people who knew what to do and a defibrillator readily available. As a result of my experience that day more hockey clubs have made sure they also have access to that equipment.

Do you know where the nearest defibrillator is when you next play?

This was the response from the doctor who was pitch side and led the team keeping me going.

“Yay! Congrats Roger. It was Steph Mather who knew we had the defibrillator and thanks to everyone who helped with the CPR – it was exhausting! Of the many, many, many cardiac arrests I’ve been to this one has had the happiest ending.”

So please do support this worthy cause and so that we can help fund the research into heart disease and associated vascular condition and mitigate the risk of heart failure in both the young and the old alike…

...and make sure you also know where your nearest defibrillator is located. You never know when you might need it!

Thank you

Paul Bateson
Honorary Secretary – LX Hockey Club (England) Ltd