The Trust PA HEADUP Campaign 

The Aim of Trust PA HEADUP -

to reduce high level spinal cord injuries (SCI) in Rugby

This DVD can be seen by arrangement with the author &

is a combination of two pieces of recorded information.

The first film is of my son Paul-André Blundell (P-A) who had his spinal cord injured while tackling an opposing team player during a rugby union club game.

I had the film slowed right down so that we could establish for the coroner if there had been any foul play as P-A had said while in hospital, that during the incident “someone either kicked me or kneed me in the forehead”. As you will see there was no foul play. So for a long time I did not understand why P-A had been so devastatingly injured and instantly paralysed. He could not even breathe for himself unaided. To illustrate; the duty doctor at the game plus a team member (also a doctor) kept P-A alive for 55mins by administering mouth to mouth ventilation, till the air ambulance arrived or he would have died on the pitch.

The Second film is a copy of the "Heads Up" information which I obtained from the USA National Training Authority for American Football where Spinal Cord Injury had gone into double figures!

After playing the DVD and watching the explanation, I realised that to make a tackle by dropping one’s head (head down) is a very dangerous technique, leaving the player vulnerable to SCI. When I reviewed P-A’s accident video it was evident that, what hit him in the forehead was the opposing player’s hip. This collision and the closing impact of approx 27 stone/172Kg on P-A’s neck displaced his neck vertebrae damaging his delicate spinal cord and paralysing him almost instantly. What happens is that the player's head stops on impact but his/her body mass continues and the vulnerable neck takes the impact in between which even if not initially, over time can result in a SCI or other serious outcome.

A similar accident happened to Scottish international player Thom Evans in the last Six Nations, plus this happens to other players at all levels of the game. 

A Spinal Cord Injury is the potential outcome for any

player who tackles - with ‘Head Down’.

The Trust PA HEADUP message is for players to protect themselves from spinal cord injury and paralysis which has life changing and devastating consequences. 

My Problem: The information is totally relevant to UK Rugby Union & Rugby League but has been produced for American Football where the problem has been both identified, recognised and acted on. It is now time for the rugby authorities in the UK and across the world to recognise their responsibility and help me share this important information. Rugby Authorities have a duty of care to inform every player through training - of this not so obvious danger. This will enable every player to adopt the appropriate technique to tackle safely and to reduce the potential for a SCI.

NB: Trust PA NOW HAS THE EVIDENCE TO PROVE THE FACTs!

WHAT I WANT TO ACHIEVE

1.    Support for production of Rugby Training DVD and information to illustrate in a similar way the Trust PA HEADUP Message for the self protection of every Rugby Union & League Player anywhere in the world of rugby. 

2.    To have the information distributed to every school, club, regional, national and international playing team, including every trainer, referee and training facility throughout the rugby playing world.

3.    Also for the IRB and all nations to introduce a new "Best Practice Technique" where head down is earmarked and treated as an unacceptable tackle technique.                                   

I have already shared the information with a number of people who support my

venture and also wish to see the above aims achieved.

IRB International Rugby Medical Conference Twickenham November 2010

(30 player nations present)

Mr David Pickering Chairman WRU (IRB Member)

Mr David Cobner Dean of Sport UWIC Prof.

John Fairclough Orthopaedic Surgeon WRU

Mr Sashin Ahuja, FRCS (Orth), Consultant Spinal Surgeon.

Dr Stephen Hunter Medical Director UHW - Deputy Health Minister Wales. 

JPR Williams MBE - former Wales International & British Lion - FRCS Orthopaedic Surgeon.

Gwyn Jones former Wales Captain & International.

Ms Bethan Jenkins AM 

Dr Brian Cunniffe English Institute of Sport

Dr Ian Jeffreys Medical/Surgical Management - Faculty of Health & Sport Glamorgan University.

.

NB: Trust PA HEADUP relates to our Trust PA Charity Campaign

& 

"Heads Up" relates to the NATA/USA information. 

Robert Blundell Trust PA Charity Director (PA’s Dad)

 I WILL BE PLEASED TO SHOW ANYONE THE VIDEO EVIDENCE.

This project and our charity is run in memory of P-A. It was his demise that brought this information to light for the benefit of all players of the game that he loved and gave his life playing. I do not want personal reward but I do expect out of courtesy that the Trust PA HEADUP information is shared using the following names please:

Trust PA & Paul-Andre Blundell (P-A).

Also where possible & in gratitude, that some fund-raising activity

is progressed to support Trust PA & our charitable goals please.