Medical student saves the life of 14-year-old soccer player from Zottegem with the help of an AED

"Every sports club should purchase an automated defibrillator". That's the remarkable appeal of Jerôme Callebaut. The medical student saved the life of 14-year-old soccer player Gilian De Wolf last week. He suffered a cardiac arrest during training at his club KSV Zottegem. With the help of the AED device present, Callebaut got Gilian's heart working again. "A defibrillator is much cheaper than clubs think," says Jerôme Callebaut, who also gives CPR training himself.

The incident with Gilian once again proves the importance of a defibrillator, says Callebaut. "I strongly advocate that every club purchases such a device. It's quite a coincidence that I was involved in the resuscitation myself, because I have been teaching CPR for some time."

The perception about such a device still too often prevents clubs from buying one. "Many clubs think it's too expensive," says Callebaut. "Buying one easily costs between 4000 and 6000 euros, but nowadays you can also lease them. That costs around 30 to 35 euros per month. And you can save lives."

Update: Gilian received the award for 'Comeback of the Year' in January 2023 for his return to the football field. The award is part of the Golden Shoe, a coveted prize in the Belgian football league.

Source text en photo: VRT NWS