Martin at heart of lifesaving efforts
A man who had heart surgery as a newborn wants l i fesaving defibrillators installed in every sports club.
Martin Sutherland, 26, was diagnosed with a heart problem just after he was born and had a pioneering op at just 20 hours old.
Now the IT worker is raising money for the heartstart machines to help people who suffer cardiac arrest.
Martin, of Lenzie, near Glasgow, is due to take part in the Great Scottish Run today as a fundraiser.
Def ibri llators cost up to £ 1000 each and he is planning to run other 10k races and organise a 24-hour football match to buy as many as possible.
He said: “My experience has made me acutely aware of sudden cardiac arrest and I wanted to do something to try to help.
“This equipment is so important. There are people unaware they have heart conditions.
“Having a def ibrillator at a sporting event can be the difference in saving someone’s life.”
There are about 3500 out- of- hospital cardiac arrests in Scotland each year and only one in 20 people survive.
The Br i t i sh Hea r t Foundation are backing Martin’s efforts.
The charity’s Scottish director James Cant said: “When someone has a cardiac arrest their chances of survival decrease with every passing minute.
“Having access to a defibrillator is a vital part of the chain of survival.”