Video: Heart tests for 200 Sheffield youngsters '“ that's the aim of Sheffield boxing gym campaign

Safety campaigners in Sheffield are aiming to raise £10,000 to provide heart-screening tests for 200 children and adults in boxing gyms across the city.
Glyn Rhodes and Dr David MoseleyGlyn Rhodes and Dr David Moseley
Glyn Rhodes and Dr David Moseley

The most common cause of death in young sports people is an inherited heart condition (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) - the same complaint that struck footballer Fabrice Muamba six years ago.

And retired Hope Valley doctor David Moseley has teamed up with Sheffield Boxing Centre owner Glyn Rhodes to raise cash to fund a two-day screening for amateur boxers in Sheffield in July 30 and 31 next year.

Glyn Rhodes and Dr David MoseleyGlyn Rhodes and Dr David Moseley
Glyn Rhodes and Dr David Moseley
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The sum of £10,000 will fund 200 painless screening tests at Burton Street school, Hillsborough.

Dr Moseley said: "We are working with Surrey charity 'Cardiac Risk in the Young' (CRY) to set up these tests because amateur sports people are largely overlooked for cardiac screening, despite sharing the risk with their elite counterparts who compete for the GB programme.

"Screening has been mandatory in Italy for all young sports people since 1982 '“ death rates there have gone down by 90 per cent amongst the young.

'There are hundreds of amateur boxers in the Sheffield area and we believe these young people should be entitled to some reassurance that they are not putting themselves in danger."

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He said many of the young gym-goers came from disadvantaged backgrounds, thus the need to fund the project.

Rhodes has become even more safety-conscious since the death of his boxer Scott Westgarth earlier this year.

"This is a good cause. And it won't cost any kid a penny.

'Anything that makes boxing safer '“ we may even save lives with this campaign '“ well, you can count me in for that."

Should the fund find itself with more than enough money to test the boxers, they will extend invitations to other young Sheffield sportspeople.

Dr Moseley said even a small amount of cash would help towards the target.

He has set up a Gofundme page: https://www.gofundme.com/hearts4boxing