Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) kills kids who on the outside seem perfectly healthy. On average, in this country, a young person dies during athletic training or play from SCA every three days.
On Wednesday, March 5, Monroe High School will host the opportunity for a unique heart screening in the school gymnasium thanks to local non-profit, Nick of Time Foundation. This screening event is hosted at MHS but available to any youth ages 14-24.
To schedule an appointment for the event please email appt@nickoftimefoundation.org. Additional information is on the Community Notices page of the Monroe Public Schools' website (http://www.monroe.wednet.edu/HOME/COMMUNITY_NOTICES/03-05-14NickofTimeScreening.pdf.
This is a volunteer-run effort with more than 100 medical professionals and others giving a day of their time to perform comprehensive physicals, EKGs and, if necessary, echocardiograms on students. Students and their families complete a Heart Health Survey prior to the physicals (http://www.monroe.wednet.edu/HOME/COMMUNITY_NOTICES/03-05-14NickofTimeQuestionnaire.pdf)
The $25 suggested donation per screening is a "pay-it-forwardGÇ¥ so that the Foundation can sustain this program at high schools throughout the Puget Sound. This type of exam can normally run into the hundreds of dollars and many insurance companies will not cover the cost.
Underlying causes of sudden cardiac arrest can be congenital or can be acquired. It may be a structural problem or maybe electrical but most of the time parents don't have any idea their child has a problem. According to the American Heart Association, one child in 350 may have a heart condition that can lead to sudden death, and most children are undiagnosed until they suffer sudden cardiac arrest.
The mission of Nick of Time is to partner with local communities to educate the public about Sudden Cardiac arrest in youth. The group stresses the importance of having automated external defibrillators in all public places and the need for all community members to be trained in CPR/AED use. For more information about the MHS event please call Kathy Ablutz at (360) 804-4511. For more information regarding Nick of Time please visit www.nickoftimefoundation.org.
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