BY their own admission, husband and wife Liz and Lewis Purbrick are far from gifted basketball players.

But they will attempt to shoot 2,000 basketball hoops in 10 hours to raise money for a life-saving cause.

The couple, from Grove, near Wantage, were inspired to try the sponsored stunt after Mrs Purbrick’s twin sister was saved by a defibrillator.

Vicky Gottwald, who grew up in Grove, played basketball for Wales until a sudden cardiac arrest on court in May.

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Luckily, the leisure centre she was playing at in Wales had a defibrillator and staff used it to save her life.

She was later diagnosed with a rare heart condition — arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.

Mr and Mrs Purbrick, of Nobles Close, want to raise £5,000 for the Arrhythmia Alliance to buy public defibrillators for Wantage and Abingdon.

Mrs Pubrick, 30, national disability manager for England Athletics, said: “It was a massive shock, especially given how fit and healthy she was. We were so grateful that a defibrillator was there.”

They will attempt to shoot 2,000 hoops on Sunday, December 28, at Wantage Leisure Centre, where Miss Gottwald used to work.

The couple, parents to six-month-old Jack, expect it will take them about 10 hours. They are getting training tips from Miss Gottwald, who lives in North Wales.

Miss Gottwald, who can no longer play basketball on the advice of her doctor, said: “The money that Liz and Lewis are raising is for an incredibly worthy and literally life-saving cause.”

In July, South Central Ambulance Service divisional responder manager Dick Tracey appealed for help to boost defibrillator numbers from 120 to 320 by May next year and the Oxford Mail is backing his campaign.

Mrs Purbrick said: “I couldn’t be more supportive of this fantastic campaign.”

  • To sponsor the couple, visit justgiving.com/hoopsforhearts


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