Staff Report
In preparation for summer sports, Championship Hearts Foundation and Seton Medical Center Hays will offer free heart screenings for student athletes ages 14-18. The event takes place from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, June 1, at the hospital in Kyle.
Students who participate in athletics, cheerleading, marching band, drill team or other strenuous sports and activities are encouraged to get their hearts screened for possible deadly genetic heart conditions such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).
The Championship Hearts screening includes a 12-lead ECG and a limited two-dimensional echocardiogram (ECHO, or picture of the heart) to detect HCM, the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes.
These tests are not included in standard pre-participation sports physical examinations. Both the ECG and ECHO are noninvasive, painless and valued at over $700. Results of the screening are immediate.
This free event is made possible in part by the complementary use of facilities and equipment at Seton Hays; volunteer time of physicians from Seton Heart Institute; and financial underwriting by Hays CISD’s Hays Heart Classic, an annual fundraising tournament inspired by the story of former Kyle basketball player and HCM patient Bobby Limon.
While there is no charge for the screening, a tax-deductible contribution of $25 is appreciated. Online pre-registration is required visit http://setonhaysjune1st-eorg.eventbrite.com.
