FOOTBALL clubs in Wales are being urged to get defibrillators to help save lives.

The Socially Distanced Sports Bar – a hit podcast made in Wales by comedians Elis James, Mike Bubbins and broadcaster Steff Garrero – is stepping in to help improve cardiac arrest survival in Wales.

Recent research by Save a Life Cymru found that less than half of adults in Wales know how to do CPR, and on average, around 8,000 people in Wales will have a cardiac arrest each year.

The podcast is hoping to make people aware that cardiac arrest can happen at any age and fitness level – as seen with Christian Eriksen during the 2021 Euros and in the NFL recently when 24-year-old Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest on the field. Thankfully both have and are on their way to making good recoveries, which is partly down to the immediate response of CPR and defibrillation.

Medical journals have stated that with every minute a defibrillator is not used, chances of survival decrease by 10 per cent.

MORE NEWS:

Mr Garrero said: “We wanted to help out and do our bit so that local, grassroots clubs right across Wales had access to a defibrillator.

“Often, people think that cardiac arrest happens to men over a certain age but that isn’t the case. And I think that really came to light when Christian Eriksen collapsed during the Euros in 2021. Here was a supremely fit 29-year-old fighting for his life and was saved by CPR and a defibrillator.”

The FAW will fund defibrillators for clubs across Wales and The Socially Distanced Sports Bar will fund the cabinets to house them.

Mr Garrero said: “The FAW has agreed to fund the defibrillators and we’re providing the cabinets. And we’re working with Safe a Life Cymru who do a brilliant job of making sure that all the defibs are registered properly and maintained which is really crucial.”

The campaign has had support from Richard Herring and Bob Mortimer – with the latter donating he fee for appearing on Richard Herring’s podcast to the cause and Mr Herring himself doubling The Socially Distanced Podcast’s fee to help.

Football clubs across Wales that are interested in receiving a defib can get in touch with @distantpod on social media.