In Belgium, some 9,000 people suffer cardiac arrest every year. Very often, this happens in public places, including sports clubs. As Jef Lenvain, Coordinator of the Ladbrokes Foundation, explains, the presence of defibrillators is not enough to save lives. You just have to know how to use them!

Text: Philippe Van Lil

Jef Lenvain, COORDINATOR OF THE LADBROKES FOUNDATION

What is the mission of your foundation?

Jef Lenvain: ‘For the last fifteen years or so, I’ve been supporting top-level sportsmen and women in their overall development, beyond sporting performance and medical aspects. For the last five years, I’ve been putting this experience to work for the Ladbrokes Foundation. Its aim is to provide our society with support, solidarity, citizenship and the sharing of resources, among other things.‘

What does this mean?

L.: ‘From the outset, this project has taken the form of two concepts, “Give and take” and “1+1 to 2024”. Under these concepts, we offer comprehensive support to around thirty Belgian sportsmen and women who have their sights set on the 2024 Paris Olympics, while encouraging them to become social entrepreneurs. Since then, around ten of them have already set up their own association to get involved in a cause close to their hearts. The athlete Cynthia Bolingo, for example, designed the Ligne Blanche social concept with our support. Following the success of these projects, the foundation launched the ‘Heart Heroes’ project, this time focusing on amateur sport.’

What does it involve?

L.: ‘Our starting point was twofold. Firstly, since the health crisis, there has been an increase in the number of cases of cardiovascular accidents in the world of sport. Secondly, amateur sportspeople are not sufficiently trained in the use of defibrillators. Since January, we’ve been offering Belgian local authorities the chance to suggest our training programme to their sports clubs. The aim is to raise awareness of cardiac pathologies through a fun and educational course lasting a few hours on the correct use of defibrillators.’

Amateur sportspeople are not sufficiently trained in the use of defibrillators.

What have been the results so far?

L. : ‘So far, around ten local authorities have responded to the call and we started the training courses in June. Our aim is to reach many more communities and around a hundred sports clubs by the end of the year. In each club, our medical and paramedical staff provide specialised training for three or four people. What’s more, our team of entertainers use games and educational programmes to raise awareness among other sportsmen and women, especially children. Professional sportspeople have also agreed to get involved in the project; they have been trained themselves and are now the project’s representatives. They include athletes Carole Bam and Wim De Paepe.’

As well as training people to use the defibrillators, a team of entertainers is raising awareness among sportspeople, particularly children.

‘The Heart Heroes project saves lives!’

Carole Bam

NATIONAL COACH OF THE BELGIAN CHEETAHS AND HEART HEROES AMBASSADOR

A former Olympic athlete, Carole Bam is now the national coach of our Belgian Cheetahs sprinters, including Cynthia Bolingo. Highly aware of heart problems, she is now heavily involved with the Ladbrokes Foundation.

Text: Philippe Van Lil

‘For me, the foundation has more than one purpose,’ says Carole Bam: ’On the one hand, it supports me; on the other, I give my support to a number of projects, such as actions for the homeless and the Heart Heroes project. The Heart Heroes project is vitally important. My club in Nivelles has a defibrillator, but until recently I was one of the people who didn’t know how to use it. Now working as an ambassador for the project in amateur sports clubs, she accompanies the medical teams who demonstrate the precise steps to be taken when using a defibrillator. ‘For me, the message is quite clear: cardiac accidents are common and should not be taken lightly. Everyone should be aware of this. Our project is helping to save lives.’ Carole Bam, who is also a fashion designer, is also supporting the foundation by designing and dressing the athletes and ambassadors in her sportswear collection.

‘Everyone needs to be trained’

Wim De Paepe

PARATRIATHLETE AND HEART HEROES AMBASSADOR

An osteopath by profession, Wim De Paepe is also a top-level Belgian sportsman. Over the last three years, he has won several medals in the world and European paratriathlon championships. As an ambassador for the Ladbrokes Foundation, he is particularly involved in the Heart Heroes project.

Text: Philippe Van Lil

Wim De Paepe knows what he’s talking about when he talks about cardiac accidents: ‘Last December, I experienced cardiac arrhythmias. An MRI scan revealed myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle. The consequences of such a condition can be dramatic, leading to ventricular arrhythmia and even sudden death. It is therefore essential to be able to detect the symptoms, which is by no means easy.’ Today, he has recovered and is aiming to qualify for the Paralympic Games in Paris in 2024, training 20 to 25 hours a week. Despite his busy schedule between training, competitions, his job and family life, he also intends to raise awareness of heart problems. ‘Prevention sessions on the pitch are essential. I’d like to remind everyone of the importance of having stress tests and systematic medical consultations at the start of the sporting season, whatever the sport and the level of the athlete. This enables any underlying heart problems to be detected and action taken before it’s too late. Everyone should be trained in first aid in the event of a heart attack. This includes athletes, recreational sportspeople and coaches.’

For more information, visit

heartheroes.be

Source: Royal Waterloo Golf Club, 2023