Heart of the matter

Football players from Sunderland College visited Goals Soccer Centre at Gosforth Park Racecourse to be given an essential ECG scan by a local charity.

Hearts with Goals, a charity based in the North East, offered to perform heart scans on students from the College’s Football Development Centre to detect any underlying issues.

An ECG (electrocardiogram) checks the rhythm and electrical activity of the heart. Sensors are attached to the skin and detect the electrical signals produced by the heart each time it beats. These signals are recorded by a machine and are assessed to see if they’re unusual. The scan is painless and only takes a few minutes.
This activity was organised following a recent incident at the College where a football player from another college suddenly collapsed while playing a fixture and required resuscitation.

Sudden cardiac arrest is the UK’s biggest killer. Hearts with Goals place defibrillators in public places and raise awareness of the importance of CPR.

The College already had a defibrillator installed and staff are fully trained how to use it.

David Pounder, Sport and Public Services Lecturer at Sunderland College, said:

“It was a great opportunity for our young people to receive ECG scans thanks to a brilliant charity. Screening is so important, and vital in keeping our students safe.”
Hearts with Goals will be visiting the College soon to deliver CPR and defibrillator training to students.