#EveryBeatCounts campaign: Kings ‘delighted’ to get new life-saving defib

Kings Boxing Club in Sheffield is ‘delighted’ to have installed a defibrillator in its gym, with the help of the England Boxing #EveryBeatCounts campaign, London Hearts and a kind donation.

At the end of May, England Boxing gave notice that every member club will need to have access to and know how to use a defibrillator by 1st June 2022.

But the issue was brought into sharp focus a couple of weeks later during the Euro 2020 football tournament when Danish footballer Christian Eriksen collapsed during a match due to a cardiac arrest but was resuscitated using the life-saving equipment.

There are more than 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests across the UK every year and, without immediate treatment, 90 to 95 per cent of those victims will die.

However, the chance of survival increases by 50 percent with immediate access to a life-saving defibrillator.

It’s why Kings were thrilled to be donated the defibrillator, which was purchased a cut-price rate and with free training on how to use it through London Hearts.

“It feels great knowing we have this life saving bit of equipment for our boxers and members of the public… fingers crossed we never have to use it, “ said the club’s Matthew White.

“It was a kind person who took it upon themselves to buy this for our gym, which was such a selfless, random act of kindness we can’t thank him enough.”

The defibrillator used by an England Boxing club must be a maximum distance of five minutes’ full journey on foot from the club (there and back, plus gaining any necessary access).

Should a club not have access to a defibrillator within the designated distance area, then they must obtain a defibrillator and are responsible for the maintenance of it.

All boxing shows are already required to have easy access to a defibrillator near the ring.