The sister of a promising non-league footballer who died suddenly at the age of just 26 is campaigning for defibrillators to be installed at every football club to prevent similar tragedies.
Six years ago, Joe Kellogg, of Borrowash Victoria FC, tragically collapsed and died of an undetected heart condition while at a training session.
There was no defibrillator present on the night of his death - but now Newhall United have benefited from the family's campaign in Joe's memory with a life-saving device presented to the South Derbyshire club.
His passing left a massive hole in the hearts of all who knew him and inspired his family to continue his legacy by raising money for charity and gifting defibrillators to football clubs.
Joe’s younger sister Leah, 25, said the motivation behind the campaigning stemmed from "potentially saving others from going through what we had to go through."
Miss Kellogg, a teacher who lives in Spondon, said: "We wouldn’t have done any of this if we hadn’t lost Joe but we don’t want other families to experience this pain and it gives my family happiness which is one of the main reasons we decided to start fund-raising.
"We have been donating to Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) since Joe died and me and my brother Thom had the idea to donate defibrillators instead. Sport is something we are really passionate about as a family and we are not life-savers but the defibrillator is about giving people opportunities they may not otherwise have had.
"I know it sounds a cliché but Joe really was the kindest person in the world; he was everybody’s best friend and did lots of different sports. He always put others before himself and we want to carry that on, which is why I have set up a petition to make it a law that every football club has a defibrillator."
With some of the finances raised, the Kelloggs purchased a defibrillator and allowed Derbyshire's grassroots clubs to apply for a piece of life-saving equipment they might otherwise have struggled to afford.
Following the application process, they chose Newhall United after deciding that the location of the Hawfield ground is more than 25 minutes away from the nearest hospital and the defibrillator would be vital as quick intervention is needed when a cardiac arrest occurs.
The Kelloggs added that on a weekly basis many individuals were involved in football activity at the Hawfield Ground as footballers, officials and spectators and the defibrillator could be needed at any time. Newhall United have also committed to putting at least two members of the club on key medical training and storing the vital piece of equipment in their clubhouse.
Mick Draycott, chairman of Newhall United, said: "We would like to send our greatest thanks and we are completely overwhelmed to be the successful recipient of a defibrillator for our club. With this vital piece of life-saving equipment, a club like Newhall United, financially would have never had the opportunity to purchase something with such enormity of value.
"The club being well established and founded in 1926, it has been in the heart of the community for over 90 years, this shows the stability of the club and its foundations.
"Having such an important medical instrument now being placed within the club, it will be here for years to come. The popularity of the club, running from juniors to seniors and with social events alike, the club is used many times throughout a season and with the closest hospital being around 25 minutes away, the defibrillator will give a greater hope and chance of life in the unfortunate event that we need to use it.
"With much more awareness now being present in the importance of defibrillators, Newhall United F.C are honoured to be part of this greater awareness and again send many thanks for being the lucky recipients."
The Kellogg family will present the defibrillator to the club on Saturday, December 9 at Hawfields Football Ground in Swadlincote before their fixture with Allestree.
12 people die a week from undetected heart conditions
Statistics show that every week in the UK, 12 apparently fit and healthy 14-35 year olds die from undiagnosed cardiac conditions (CRY, 2015). The percentage chance of saving a life if a defibrillator is used in the first three minutes is 74 per cent and if used in the first 10 minutes the chance of survival is 35 per cent.
