Arsenal starlet Hector Bellerin has publically backed the Heart4More Foundation, set up by former professional footballer Tobi Alabi, and its aims to ensure regular heart screenings in the professional game.
Tobi, 20, collapsed during a football match on October 15, 2013 and was subsequently forced to retire after having a heart monitor implanted in his chest
The Foundation is using CrowdFunder to raise funds of £7,000 to screen 100 young people before a football match!
With less than two weeks to go before the deadline, the Foundation has raised approximately half of the target with £3,300 donated. However, the full target of £7,000 must be achieved by Tuesday 25 March for it to be fully funded.
Spaniard Hector said: “The Foundation is a very good initiative and something that is needed in sports, especially football, as we have seen many cases similar to this lately.
“I really hope people help this cause as people like Tobi have been very lucky, but other people have passed away on a football pitch because they didn’t know they had a heart condition.
“It’s not just important to have regular screenings, it is necessary. While I have been in England I have realised that clubs do not take as much care as they should with these situations.
“Players should get screened more than they are to avoid potential tragedies.”
The former Barcelona player, who has spent a loan spell with Watford, has commended Tobi’’s reaction after receiving heartbreaking news.
“I was very sad for Tobi when I heard what happened because as a footballer, to have what you love doing taken away from you, must be very hard to take.
“But his reaction after what happened to him and to create a Foundation, which is going to help screen people, says a lot of him.”
A recent high-profile player who died whilst playing football was Antonio Puerta in 2007, aged 22, and Hector says his death caused an impact in Spain and the same impact should happen in England.
“This Foundation can save people going through what happened to Tobi, or even worse, what happened to Antonio Puerta, a case that made a big impact in Spain while I was playing there.
“It’s just an example of how quick, and without notching, things like this can happen. Thanks to this Foundation we can prevent this.”
Tobi said: “It’s fantastic to have Hector backing the Foundation and the heart screenings. For someone so young at a massive club like Arsenal to come out and offer his support speaks volumes.
“12 young people, aged 14-35, die on a weekly basis in the UK due to an undiagnosed heart condition and if this screening can help prevent one death it will be worth it.”
To donate please go to www.crowdfunder.co.uk/heart4more
Sign up, pledge & save a life! #LetsChangeTheGame
Tobi, 20, collapsed during a football match on October 15, 2013 and was subsequently forced to retire after having a heart monitor implanted in his chest
The Foundation is using CrowdFunder to raise funds of £7,000 to screen 100 young people before a football match!
With less than two weeks to go before the deadline, the Foundation has raised approximately half of the target with £3,300 donated. However, the full target of £7,000 must be achieved by Tuesday 25 March for it to be fully funded.
Spaniard Hector said: “The Foundation is a very good initiative and something that is needed in sports, especially football, as we have seen many cases similar to this lately.
“I really hope people help this cause as people like Tobi have been very lucky, but other people have passed away on a football pitch because they didn’t know they had a heart condition.
“It’s not just important to have regular screenings, it is necessary. While I have been in England I have realised that clubs do not take as much care as they should with these situations.
“Players should get screened more than they are to avoid potential tragedies.”
The former Barcelona player, who has spent a loan spell with Watford, has commended Tobi’’s reaction after receiving heartbreaking news.
“I was very sad for Tobi when I heard what happened because as a footballer, to have what you love doing taken away from you, must be very hard to take.
“But his reaction after what happened to him and to create a Foundation, which is going to help screen people, says a lot of him.”
A recent high-profile player who died whilst playing football was Antonio Puerta in 2007, aged 22, and Hector says his death caused an impact in Spain and the same impact should happen in England.
“This Foundation can save people going through what happened to Tobi, or even worse, what happened to Antonio Puerta, a case that made a big impact in Spain while I was playing there.
“It’s just an example of how quick, and without notching, things like this can happen. Thanks to this Foundation we can prevent this.”
Tobi said: “It’s fantastic to have Hector backing the Foundation and the heart screenings. For someone so young at a massive club like Arsenal to come out and offer his support speaks volumes.
“12 young people, aged 14-35, die on a weekly basis in the UK due to an undiagnosed heart condition and if this screening can help prevent one death it will be worth it.”
To donate please go to www.crowdfunder.co.uk/heart4more
Sign up, pledge & save a life! #LetsChangeTheGame