Young Footballer’s Tragic Death Sheds Light on Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Tom Henson, a 23-year-old from Dronfield, North East Derbyshire, was a young man full of life, with a promising future ahead of him. In July 2018, while playing football with friends, Tom suffered a sudden cardiac arrest, which tragically claimed his life. Despite the best efforts of emergency services, Tom could not be revived.

Tom had been living with his parents at the time and was eagerly anticipating a family holiday to Florida. His death left his loved ones devastated, especially his mum, Nikki O’Halloran, who recounted the harrowing moments at the hospital when it became clear that Tom was gone. “He had everything going for him,” Nikki said, reflecting on her son’s promising life.

Subsequent tests revealed that Tom had left ventricular hypertrophy and supravalvular stenosis, congenital heart conditions that had gone undetected. In the wake of his death, Tom’s family channelled their grief into action, establishing the Tom Henson Charity. The charity has since raised funds for 34 community defibrillators, aiming to prevent other families from experiencing similar heartbreak.

Tom’s story is part of a broader campaign by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to raise awareness of sudden cardiac death, which claims the lives of 12 young people under the age of 35 in the UK each week. The BHF has also launched a video series and a mural in Tom’s memory to draw attention to the issue and the urgent need for lifesaving research.

The Henson family continues to advocate for greater awareness and action, urging people to learn CPR and support research into heart conditions. Tom’s younger brother Joe, inspired by the paramedics who tried to save his brother, now works as a member of the 999 emergency response team and volunteers as a community first responder.

As the sixth anniversary of Tom’s death approaches, his family and the BHF are calling for increased donations to fund research and prevent sudden cardiac death. Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive of the BHF, emphasised the need for ongoing support to create a future where young people no longer die from hidden heart conditions.

The BHF’s £30 million CureHeart programme, led by Professor Hugh Watkins at the University of Oxford, is at the forefront of developing gene therapy technologies to target the genetic faults that cause these conditions. With continued support, the programme aims to create a future where sudden cardiac death is a distant memory.

To honour Tom’s memory and support the fight against sudden cardiac death, consider donating to heart research and learning CPR—actions that could help save lives and prevent more families from enduring such tragic loss.

Source: The Sun