The parents of a talented young footballer who collapsed and died during a Sunday league game have set up a charitable fund to try to prevent further tragedies.
The Daniel Young Memorial Fund was set up in memory of the 16-year-old who collapsed on the pitch and died while playing for Atherton LR u17s in September.
Although he was apparently in the peak of physical health tests later revealed Danny had an enlarged heart but had not displayed any symptoms. His parents, Craig and Dionne, of Tyldesley Road, now want his spirit to live on by campaigning to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again.
Mrs Young said: “By working to campaign for more thorough examinations of young players, which include checks on the internal organs, we hope that we can give something back in memory of Danny.
“We now know that something could have been done to reduce the size of Danny’s heart if we had known about it but unfortunately with the extra pressure that strenuous exercise and the adrenaline of scoring a goal put on his heart on that day it led to his death.”
The family have now added their support to the national charity CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) which is campaigning for heart screening of young people, especially athletes, aged 14 to 35 and are hoping to organise a series of screening events in the new year.
The campaign has caught the attention of Leigh MP Andy Burnham who is a keen supporter of CRY’s work to lobby the government for the provision of screening and he has commended Danny’s parents for their approach, saying he would offer them any support he could.
He said: “This is a particularly tragic case to see a young person taken away in his prime, but I take my hat off to the parents for trying to take something positive out of what is a very sad and difficult situation and for trying to prevent it happening to others.”
In addition to campaigning for better health screening for young athletes Danny’s family also want some of the proceeds from the fund to go to helping develop local sporting clubs.
Mrs Young added: “Daniel had been playing football since the age of seven, first for Hindsford and then later for Atherton LR, and it was something he loved.
“It is only right that the fund gives something back to the clubs catering for children in this area.
“The help we have received from the Hindsford Club has been a massive source of support for us and we would not have been able to get this far without them.”
On what would have been the eve of Danny’s 17th birthday players and parents from Hindsford JFC were joined by members of Leigh RMI, Leigh Centurions and Howe Bridge to attend a Danny Young Memorial Dinner Dance at Hilton Park. All proceeds will go to towards the memorial fund.
If anyone would like to make a donation to the Daniel Young Memorial Fund please contact Abbey Funeral Services on 01942 8913331.
