Brother's death prompts defibrillator map

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Tom Henson and Joe RobinsonImage source, Joe Robinson
Image caption,

Joe Robinson (right) said a defibrillator was used on his older brother, but he was concerned many people might not know where their nearest device was

A 15-year-old boy is creating a map of defibrillator locations in memory of his older brother who died while playing football.

Tom Henson, 23, from Bolsover, Derbyshire, had a cardiac arrest while playing five-a-side at Gosforth Fields, Dronfield, on 31 July.

Joe Robinson said a defibrillator was used on his brother but people might not know where the nearest device was.

He started the Tom Henson Charity defibrillator map to "help save lives".

Image source, Google
Image caption,

So far, there are 160 defibrillators on the map in the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire area

Joe said his brother, who it was discovered had a congenital heart defect, was as "fit as they come" and nobody knew "there was anything wrong with him" before he collapsed.

The teenager said: "I wanted to do it because Tom had a defibrillator used on him when he passed away and we did not know there was a defibrillator there.

"It made me think there are lots of people out there who do not know where the nearest defibrillators are."

Joe started creating the Tom Henson Charity defibrillator map on 7 November, in Google maps, external.

He said he gathered the information from various sources including ambulance services, parish councils, and local people.

Image source, Joe Robinson
Image caption,

Tom Henson "just loved to have a good time really", according to his brother

So far, there are 160 defibrillators on his map in the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire area.

The teenager said he was focusing on mapping defibrillators in the East Midlands, Midlands and Yorkshire areas.

Joe said he's had a "brilliant response" from the public who have been getting in touch about the locations.

"That sort of information could be the difference between life and death, and not many people knew it," he said.

He asked for anyone who knows of a defibrillator location to get in touch with him via the Tom Henson charity defibrillator map Facebook page.

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