Rugby league is the most physically demanding of sports. Out there on the field there's no place to hide, and no room for the faint hearted. Stepping over the touchline into the field of play takes great courage. In 2004 two young men, Danny Scott and Matt King, paid a very high price for displaying such courage. Both these young men suffered serious injuries that have left them unable to enjoy life as we all can. They aren't the first to have suffered such terrible injuries, and it is unlikely that they will be the last. XIII Heroes is a supporter led voluntary charity set up to try and provide on-going financial assistance to rugby league people like Danny and Matt, and anyone else who may ultimately need and deserve the help and support of those of us who derive great pleasure from the game. The 'rugby league family' is a term often used to describe our sports? community spirit, and we want XIII Heroes to play a role in making sure that our 'family' looks after its own.
10th January 2004 - Moldgreen ARLFC vs Sowerby Spartans ARLFC During the second half of the game Moldgreen loose forward Danny took up the ball into a heavy tackle. It was immediately obvious he had taken a bad knock and
an ambulance was called.
Danny was taken to the I.T.U at Leeds General Infirmary. On arrival Danny had an emergency trachaeotomy and was kept on a ventilator to stabilise his condition. He spent five weeks in Leeds, and was then moved to the I.T.U at Pinderfields hospital in Wakefield where he spent another three weeks. Once it became clear Danny could manage to breathe voluntarily he was taken off the ventilator He was eventually diagnosed as sustaining a C4-C5 complete spinal injury. After a total of eight weeks in two I.T.U's, Danny was moved to the spinal injuries ward at Pinderfields where he remained under treatment until he was allowed home in early October 2004.
4th April 2004 - Halifax Junior Academy vs London Broncos Junior Academy Very early in the first match of the season match Matt went down in a tackle. As with Danny, it was immediately obvious something was seriously wrong. Matt was airlifted from the pitch to the I.T.U at Leeds General Infirmary where he was stabilised by a tracheotomy and put on a ventilator. Ten days later he was airlifted from Leeds/Bradford airport to the I.T.U at Luton and Dunstable hospital. Matt spent a further week there before being transferred to the I.T.U at Stoke Mandeville hospital. A further seven days in I.T.U and Matt was then transferred to one of the spinal injuries wards. His injury was diagnosed as a C2 complete spinal injury meaning that he is totally paralysed from the neck down, and for the foreseeable future he can't breathe without the aid of a ventilator. Thankfully, with a team of carers in place, Matt was allowed home just before Christmas 2004. It is impossible for any of us to fully appreciate the impact such twists of fate have had upon not only Danny and Matt, but their parents, immediate family and friends. They have had some very dark days when it must have all seemed pointless, but both lads are planning for the future. Thanks to Emma Rosewarne and the Rugby Football League, both lads got out and about to see some of the Tri Nations games in 2004. Matt was secretly relieved he couldn't get to the final!! After settling back into home life, Danny is now considering his options and trying to adapt his surroundings to suit him better. Matt meanwhile is now able to make a couple of very short visits to school every week to try and pick up on one of his 'A' levels. Through the fundraising activities I've been involved with, I have been privileged enough to develop close friendships with the boys and those around them. Every time I meet them I'm inspired by, and in awe of how they have refused to let their luck knock them back. They really are heroes. Chris Hawkins - April 2005 |
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Danny Scott - 22 year old Huddersfield 'lad about town', and extremely
popular young bloke.
Matt
King - 17 year old budding professional RL player and
sixth form student from Langford, Bedfordshire.