GRANBY – Each year thousands of kids in the U.S. die when their heart unexpectedly stops beating due to a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) caused by an undetected heart abnormality. To combat this syndrome that is the number two cause of death under 25 and the number one killer of student athletes, the Kevs Foundation is hosting a free heart screening on Saturday, March 28 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Granby, Jr-Sr High School, Granby, Ma.
Kevs Foundation has screened more than 700 youth, finding one in 100 with a heart abnormality that unknowingly put them at risk. Parents can register youth age 13 to 19 for the free screening at Kevsfoundation.com, where they download a screening packet, complete and bring to the event.
“SCA is not a heart attack. It’s an abnormality in the heart’s electrical system that may be detected with a simple EKG. Even though the first symptom of SCA could be death, screenings are not a part of youth health checkups or pre-participation sports physicals, which is why Kevs Foundation provides free heart screenings to area teens.
The heart screening consists of a health history questionnaire completed by a parent, an electrocardiogram (EKG), and if indicated, a limited echo-cardiogram. It takes 60 minutes and is painless and non-invasive (no needles or x-ray exposure). Screenings are conducted by volunteer team of Dr. Michael Willers, Pediatric Cardiologist of the Children’s Heart Center of Western Ma (Medical Director of Kevs Foundation) , nurses, techs, PA Students and non-medical staff. Because SCA is fatal in 92 percent of cases if not treated within minutes, the March 28 screening also features demonstrations of hands-only CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED), the only two life-saving measures once SCA strikes.
Founded to honor Kevin J Major, a Westfield native, who lost his life to SCA at 19 in 2011, Kevs Foundation strives to educate parents, educators, physicians and elected officials on the prevalence of SCA among teens and the importance of standardizing EKG’s as part their regular health care. Established in 2012, the non-profit (501 c 3) foundation provides free cardiac screenings to teens, with the ultimate goal of standardizing screenings among our youth, and equipping our schools with readily accessible automated external defibrillators (AED) with CPR/AED training for students and staff.
For more information, visit Kevs Foundation.com.
