Brentford FC's Heart of West London initiative has been advocating for cardiac health and the critical skill of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) over the past 12 months.
Yet, recent insights have shed light on the disparities in the application of life-saving CPR within our community, affecting certain minority groups disproportionately.
People from ethnic minority backgrounds are statistically more at risk of cardiac arrest. But research shows only one in five have been given CPR training - significantly lower than the UK average.
Each year 80,000 people have a cardiac arrest outside of hospital. In moments like these, defibrillators can save lives. But in ethnic minority communities, where cardiac arrest happens more, defibrillators are less available.
These statistics reveal a concerning disparity in CPR accessibility and knowledge, particularly among diverse ethnic groups.
And here in Brentford, we sit in the heart of a diverse community, but also within a ‘cardiac hotspot’ where cardiac arrest rates are higher than average, and bystander CPR rates are lower than average.
Highlighting these issues is particularly apt as we also recognise the Premier League’s No Room for Racism campaign at this weekend’s game.
Just as we strive for fairness and equity on the pitch, we must extend the same ideas to community well-being. Health disparities, much like racial discrimination, undermine the fabric of our society, and it is only through collective effort that we can dismantle these systemic issues.
That’s why we have been working with partner organisations including Brentford FC Community Sports Trust, Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals Charity, Cardiac Risk in the Young, Resuscitation Council UK and A-K-A Day to promote cardiac health.
We have recently placed additional public access defibs outside our Gtech Community Stadium, as we want to give anyone living locally who suffers a cardiac arrest, the best chance of survival.
RCUK will be in the family area ahead of kick-off to give fans a chance to learn CPR. There will also be a live demo at half-time and a chat with RCUK CEO Dr James Cant, president prof Andy Lockey and career pathways lead at Brentford Lorna Falconer.
James Cant, CEO at RCUK, said: "Guardians of defibs need to make their device as accessible as possible to local communities, to help increase survival rates.
“A defibrillator is essential in increasing survival rates, yet 61 per cent of people say they aren’t confident enough to use one.
“A defibrillator tells you exactly what to do, no training is needed. If someone is having a cardiac arrest, it simply needs to be switched on and it will talk the person through each step – it’s like having an expert in the room.”
Greig Mailer, corporate affairs director at Brentford FC, added: “It is disheartening to see the alarming disparities in bystander CPR rates amongst ethnic minority groups.
“We know that every second counts when it comes to dealing with cardiac arrests and we believe that the power of football can help.
Working with RCUK through the Heart of West London initiative, we want to break down these barriers, help to raise awareness of CPR and ultimately improve survival rates here in west London.”
We are also providing opportunities for local people, community groups and fans to learn life-saving CPR.