Via Heart Project, Sequoia Union High School District Host Free Teen Heart Screening Event
Over 350,000 Americans die each year from sudden cardiac arrest, more than breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer and AIDS combined.
From Via Heart Project, Sequoia Union High School District: In collaboration, Via Heart Project and the Sequoia Union High School District are hosting a free teen heart screening event at Menlo-Atherton High School on Sunday, January 29, 2017 from 9:00 am-3:00 pm.
Over 350,000 Americans die each year from sudden cardiac arrest, more than breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer and AIDS combined. 7,000 to 10,000 of these deaths are school aged children. There is a nationwide push underway from parent organizations and legislators to equip coaches and teachers with the skills necessary to identify signs of a heart condition and treat cardiac emergencies with on-site defibrillators. Currently, automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are encouraged but not mandated in California schools.
WHO: Sequoia Union High School District Via Heart Project
100-150 community volunteers
750 high school students
WHERE: Menlo-Atherton High School
555 Middlefield Road
Atherton, CA 94027
WHAT: Screen teenagers to identify signs of a heart condition
WHEN: Sunday, January 29, 2017, 9:00 am-3:00 pm
The cardiac screening is geared toward all teen youths ages 13 to 19 and consist of a health history questionnaire, an electrocardiogram (EKG), and a review by a cardiologist. A percentage of students will also receive an echocardiogram (echo). All students will learn CPR and AED skills during the screening. The event is free to all student attendees thanks to our sponsors: Sequoia Healthcare District and the NFL Alumni Association.
“Any parent who has lost a child to a preventable health issue knows the pain of wondering what could have been done before it was too late. By bringing heart screenings to our community we will find heart defects that may lead to sudden death. If we can prevent even one family from having to go through that pain, then what we have done is worth it” says Liz Lazar-Johnson, Executive Director of Via Heart Project.
To register for the heart screening or to learn more, visit viaheartproject.org/screenings.
Story Credit: http://patch.com/california/redwoodcity-woodside/heart-project-sequoia-union-high-school-district-host-free-teen
