In partnership with the Thomas Smith Memorial Foundation, Aspire Rural Health System is offering FREE Teen Heart Screenings to students ages 13 to 19 on Saturday, October 10th from 8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at Marlette Regional Hospital in the Medical Office Building.
This special program offers an in-depth, noninvasive heart screening that includes review of medical history, a blood pressure check, and an electrocardiogram (EKG). A pediatric cardiologist will evaluate each student and an echocardiogram will be provided, if needed. The screening looks for evidence of any underlying heart conditions, including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a serious condition that can cause sudden cardiac death in young athletes as well as in students engaging in physical activity or exercise.
Sudden cardiac death is the leading cause of death in young athletes. This program helps in saving lives and detecting serious conditions. A screening only takes 15-30 minutes and can offer peace of mind to students, and their families that may be concerned about the risk of sudden cardiac death and premature hypertension.
Teens must pre-register to participate, as space is limited. To learn more or to register, visit www.aspirerhs.org/teen-heart-screening. Teens participating in the screening event will need to have their parents complete a registration packet that can be downloaded from the Aspire website at www.aspirerhs.org/teen-heart-screening. Appointments are available every 15 minutes from 8:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
This year we are proud to share that the school with the highest number of participating students will receive their choice of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) or four CPR manikins for educational and training purposes.
Over 5,000 teens between the ages of 13 to 19 have been screened since 2011 with the help of the Thomas Smith Memorial Foundation in Michigan to evaluate their heart for abnormalities particularly as it relates to exercise and sudden death. Since these checks began, they have identified 173 teens that had a medical heart condition, 51 of which were lifesaving. Conditions detected include Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome, Abnormal Valve Function, Severely Elevated Blood Pressure, 2nd degree AV block Type I, Abnormal Family History, Atrial Septal Abnormality, LV Noncompaction Cardiomyopathy, and LVH Subaortic Stenosis AI.
These FREE Teen Heart Screenings are made possible in part by the Thomas Smith Memorial Foundation, created in memory of Thomas N. Smith, a 17-year-old Flushing High School senior, who passed away in 2011 from an undiagnosed, enlarged heart. Co-founder of the Foundation and Thomas’ mom, Mary Smith, estimates that 1-2% of students screened at these events are found to have a life-limiting heart condition that would go undetected otherwise. Thomas’ memory will live on by offering young athletes throughout Michigan these teen heart screenings. Please join us for this unique screening event!
To learn more or to get your teen registered for this free teen heart screening, please visit www.aspirerhs.org/teen-heart-screening.