MORE than 2,000 people have been trained to use defibrillators since the death of Tyrone GAA captain Cormac McAnallen - thanks to the charity set up in his name.
Now, as his beloved Red Hands bid once again for All Ireland glory, The Cormac Trust is throwing its weight behind a new initiative from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service and British Heart Foundation to ensure the public knows the location of all nearby defibrillators.
Cormac McAnallen was just 24 when he died suddenly in his bed in 2004 from Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS), an undiagnosed heart condition.
Since then his family has worked tirelessly through the trust to supply the life-saving equipment, focussing on sports clubs, schools and isolated locations.
The automated external defibrillators (AED) are portable devices which check heart rhythm and can send an electric shock to the heart to try to restore a normal rhythm.
"`Out of the darkness has come light' to paraphrase the Biblical saying, and so the tragedies of Tyrone have inspired great things," Cormac's mother Bridget McAnallen said.
"The recent success of Tyrone, following on their past brilliance and successes in winning three All-Ireland Senior Championships was built on a platform of very high achievement at underage level.
"But, sadly since that first senior win in 2003, other tragic events occurred; which have, paradoxically, created hope, inspiration and positive movements which have reached out to the public in Ireland and further afield. These have included the Michaela Foundation, and the Spirit of Paul McGirr, as well as the Cormac Trust."
The trust has donated around 90 AEDS with training for around 700 people, and subsidised another 180 AEDS, with training for approximately 1,500 more.
It also works hard to raise awareness of SADS, a group of genetic heart problems which kills at least 100 young people every year in Ireland.
This involves advice and counselling families and thousands of young people on SADS and screening, supported medical research and worked with a network of individuals, families and medical professionals who deal with the condition.
Their work has been taken up by other groups, with defibrillators now in place at easily accessible locations across the north.
Earlier this year, Tyrone All-Ireland winner Conor Gormley watched as a defibrillator saved his father's life during a club match.
Sean Gormley (62) collapsed as he watched his son play in Carrickmore's Division 1 league game against Ardboe.
Mr Gormley has stressed the importance of every sports club having a working defibrillator and "volunteers trained how to use it".
"The Cormac Trust is delighted to see this hugely important initiative being led by the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service which will ensure a greater understanding of the location and readiness of AED's throughout Northern Ireland and is making a special call to all places which they have supplied with defibrillators to contact the NIAS," Mrs McAnallen said.
Information on defibrillators can be supplied to: http://www.niamb.co.uk
