Cardiac Screening Programme: Club’s Progressive Initiative

Mullingar Shamrocks is nothing if not innovative and the latest example of the club’s progressive attitude was unveiled on Saturday at Springfield. This date, 24 September 2016, might well go down as one of the most important in the club’s history. Aware that its responsibility to the young people involved in the club extended beyond the football pitch, the Mullingar Shamrocks under-age committee led by Robbie Boyle and supported by Pat Collins and Seán Hynes have implemented a very ambitious programme that will continue into the future with the support of parents. The objective is to have all children playing for the club tested as a measure to combat Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (S.A.D.S.), an uncommon condition that is responsible for the deaths of numerous Irish sportsmen and women every year. With this test, which is compulsory in several European countries, it is possible to identify the children at risk and with simple treatment and monitoring, the chance of future problems can be greatly diminished.

Shamrocks teamed up with Advanced Medical Services (AMS) ) who set up their  Mobile Cardiac Screening Programme in Springfield, converted the clubhouse into a temporary  cardiac unit and carried out the tests on forty-five young people involved in the club’s under-age activities.  As this was our first year of testing the main focus was on the under-12 and under-14 footballers. Going forward it is proposed to test each player who has turned 12 years of age on the date of testing (the minimum age required for testing in twelve).  

Each screening included a personal and family history questionnaire, a medical examination conducted by a doctor, a lifestyle assessment, blood pressure measurement, obesity screening, a 12 lead electrocardiogram (ECG) and a review and report prepared by a consultant cardiologist presented to the parents-guardians of those involved on a confidential basis.  

With sponsorship and club funding it was possible to make the test available to each participant for €20; for a service that normally costs €65, this might well prove to be the best investment made this year.

This progressive and much appreciated  initiative, which is recommended to senior inter-county players by the Gaelic Players Association, is something every future club player will benefit from while Shamrocks  are also spreading awareness of a little known issue that actually costs lives.