£820 for community defibrillators

THE father of a young Ahoghill man who died suddenly last year after suffering a heart attack has thanked everyone involved in a fund raising football match which has raised awareness of cardiac risk as well as money for worthwhile community causes.
By The Newsroom
Published 19th Jun 2012, 13:35 BST

This year’s annual Wrightbus Apprentice Charity Football Match was held at Ahoghill Community Centre football ground on Thursday, May 17, and the proceeds were presented to Davy Lowry, a Wrightbus employee, who lost his son Steven to a heart attack, at the age of 27, in November 2011.

Steven was the captain of Ahoghill Rovers and it was a fitting tribute to Steven to play the match on his home pitch. After his son’s death, Davy Lowry wanted to raise awareness among the young about cardiac risk. In the UK, 12 young people between the age of 16 and 35 die each week of an undiagnosed heart complaint.

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Davy particularly wanted to stress that cardiac risk does not just affect the older, more unfit or overweight person. The young people affected are very often involved in sports and lead a very active lifestyle. Wrightbus is supporting Davy in this very worthwhile cause. The match raised £820 and the money is being used directly in the local community to purchase defibrillators and to make donations to activities Steven was involved in.

It was handed over at a presentation ceremony in the Wrightbus Apprentice Training Centre on May 23 when Davy extended his thanks to all those who too part in the apprentice fundraising event .

He said: “If a defibrillator saves one life, it is money well spent.”