Saving Young Lives
By: Michelle Garcia
Executive Director of Championship Hearts Foundation
Midland Health is hosting a free teen heart screening for the youth in our community through a partnership with Championship Hearts Foundation. The mission of Championship Hearts is to reduce the incidence of sudden cardiac death in Texas teens.
Cardiac disease is the number one cause of death in the US, yet the adolescent population is not one that is usually screened for heart abnormalities. The leading cause of sudden cardiac death in active youth is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a serious heart condition that affects one in 500 of the general population. HCM has no symptoms and sudden cardiac arrest is usually the first sign of any trouble. During the last 20 years, Championship Hearts has screened over 25,000 Texas youth and has determined on average, 1 in 250 has a condition known to cause Sudden Cardiac Death.
The FREE heart screening offered by Championship Hearts Foundation includes a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) and a limited echocardiogram (ECHO), two tests not usually part of standard pre-participation medical examinations for adolescents. Estimated at a $700 value, the screening is offered free of charge to any teens ages 14-18. The tests are non-invasive and painless.
Although designed to detect HCM, the screening can also reveal other serious heart abnormalities such as Long QT Syndrome, Wolff Parkinson White Syndrome, and Bicuspid Aortic Valve. The Championship Hearts screening program is recognized by the Texas Chapter of the American College of Cardiology as a quality initiative.
On Saturday, March 28th, Midland teens will have the ability to receive this heart screening providing important baseline health knowledge for those students and their families. Local volunteer cardiologists will provide immediate screening results to appreciative parents and students. If needed they will be referred for further pediatric cardiology evaluation for a variety of suspected conditions. For most attendees, the entire process will be completed in about one hour.
Want to get your teen’s heart screened? Championship Hearts Foundation and Midland Memorial will offer the FREE Teen Heart Screening on March 28, 2020 from 9 AM – 1 PM. Pre-registration is available online at www.ChampHearts.org, or by calling the Foundation at 888-884-6945 or 512-900-3243. Volunteer opportunities are also available at the March screening for adults and high school students via links on the Foundation website.