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Widow of Keighley Cougars player welcomes expansion of cardiac screening programme

The wife of Keighley Cougars player Danny Jones, Lizzie Jones has welcomed the news that cardiac screening is to become compulsory in all three of Rugby League’s professional and semi-professional competitions. Danny Jones collapsed and died from heart failure triggered by an undetected heart defect whilst playing for Keighley against London Skolars in May.

Lizzie Jones with twins Bobby and Phoebe at the RFL AGM

I would like to congratulate all the Championship and League 1 clubs on their decision to conduct cardiac screening with their players. Anything the game can do to minimise the chance of another family experiencing what we have gone through has to be welcomed. I would also like to say a big ‘Thank You’ to everyone involved in Rugby League for the support they have given to me, my twins and my family: we couldn’t have got through this without you all. We are enormously grateful for everything you have done for us, it’s been overwhelming. The support of the Rugby League family has given us the strength to rebuild our lives without Danny.

– Lizzie Jones

Cardiac screening has been compulsory for all Super League players since 2012 while Championship and League 1 clubs have been advised to regard the procedure as “best practice.” However following consultation with clubs at their recent competition meetings, the RFL is now making screening mandatory for all Championship and League 1 clubs from 2016. The Just Giving page set up by the RFL Benevolent Fund to help Lizzie Jones and her family has already received donations of over £222,000.