We offer assistance, both immediate and long-term, to those who have been impacted by catastrophic injury.

This can take the form of:

  • Property conversions
  • Equipment
  • Travel costs
  • Respite care
  • Legal costs
  • Counselling

This list is only an indication of the kind of assistance Hearts + Balls can provide; every injury is different as are the needs of every injured player.

Our financial capacity allows us to set a long-term strategy of supporting the education and career development of those impacted by catastrophic injury.

Assistance can take the form of the purchase of equipment or learning support, for example Hearts + Balls funded the upgrade of the Internet provision at Glasgow Southern Hospital’s Spinal Injuries Unit.

We can also provide bursaries, support packages or fund educational programmes for impacted players to enable them to gain new skills and progress in their chosen career.

Allied to this will be a drive by Hearts + Balls to encourage employers to provide opportunities for players who have been affected by catastrophic injury. Hearts + Balls will partner other organisations to ensure that employment and training opportunities are available and accessible to injured players.

Rocky Mileto, Australia

“I sustained a complete spinal chord injury as a result of a rugby accident in 1996 in Australia. It would be easy for Hearts+Balls to overlook someone with a rugby injury in Australia, but they cared enough about rugby and its players to make it their business. Its contribution to buying me a power wheelchair has been invaluable to me, my wife, and our young twin sons.”

Dug McArthur, Edinburgh

“It’s good to know that there is a support network [like Hearts + Balls] out there to help people who have suffered not just spinal injuries [like me], but any injury associated with playing rugby.”

Jim Taylor, MBE, Glasgow

“The rugby community really pulled together to help me after I broke my neck during a rugby match, and that’s why I continue to do ambassador work for Hearts & Balls. I get to mentor sports people who experience similar injuries and work with them to move on with their life.”