For the second time in four weeks an NSFA player was revived through defibrillation during a weekend fixture.
St Michael’s and Prouille were in action at Kingsford Smith Park in Lane Cove North for a Men’s Over 45’s match when a Prouille player collapsed on the field.
By using a defibrillator present at the ground installed by Lane Cove Council, a St Michael’s player was able to revive the player before paramedics arrived and transported him to hospital.
The Prouille player had an operation that night and is now recovering well.
This follows on from an incident on Saturday, April 14 at Norman Griffiths Oval, in which a West Pymble player was also revived with a defibrillator during a Men’s Over 45’s match.
Thankfully a defibrillator was available for use at both grounds, but we are still looking to further extend coverage across the association.
In the last 15 months, defibrillators have been used to save the lives of THREE footballers on the North Shore of Sydney. The NSFA would like to express its gratitude and thanks to:
- The St Ives Football Club for their passionate, persistent and highly successful education and fundraising campaigns.
- All NSFA clubs who have found a way to purchase the 37 defibrillators currently in circulation within the NSFA. (Over the last two days NSFA Clubs have pledged to purchase another 14 defibrillator units.)
- All those players, spectators, referees and other bystanders who have swung so passionately into action in the midst of a critical on field incident. A particular note of thanks to St Michaels Over 45’s player, John Galicek who has not once, but twice assisted in resuscitating opposition players in the last three weeks. His efforts and the efforts of everyone associated with each incident have provided great joy to a great many people.
- Lane Cove Council for having the foresight and commitment to installing Fixed Defibrillator Units at many of its playing fields.