Taking teen health to heart
By Matt Brennan For The Beacon-News February 11, 2011 5:46PM
Stevie Acevedo, a student at West Aurora High School, holds still as Ellen Berg (right) and Jayne Grabow (left) administer an EKG screening during the Young Hearts for Life event held at the school.
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Updated: May 19, 2011 5:22AM
AURORA — Sam Reed is a student athlete at West Aurora High School.
And when he found out that all students would have a chance to receive a free EKG test at school, he thought it would be a good idea.
“Just to know if you have a condition or anything, it’s good to get checked out,” he said.
More than 1,500 students were checked for heart conditions at West Aurora High School on Thursday and Friday as part of the Young Hearts For Life program. About 120 to 130 volunteers performed the EKGs. Cardiologist Joseph Marek read the results.
“We’re trying to identify the kids at risk for sudden cardiac death,” Marek said.
Marek is with Midwest Heart Specialists and practices out of Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove. The medical group has provided free EKG testing in about 35 Chicago area high schools as part of the Young Hearts For Life program.
Every once in a while you hear something on the news about a young person dying from sudden cardiac death. There are no symptoms beforehand that are concerning enough to seek medical attention, the doctor said. “As a cardiologist you just feel responsible to go do something about it,” he said.
When they perform these tests at schools, they usually find that about 2.5 percent of those tested have suspicious EKG results, he said. And about 1 percent have a previously unrecognized cardiac condition, he said.
John and Laura Regalado’s son fell into that 1 percent. About a year and a half ago, their 15-year-old son, Robert, went to bed feeling slightly under the weather, and never woke up.
“His first symptom was his death,” Mura said.
The Burbank couple have volunteered their time testing children at other high schools, trying to pinpoint who else may have this condition, so they can get help, they said.
“I don’t want any parent to go through what we went through,” John said.
West Aurora P.E. teacher Meghan Hill lost her cousin at a young age to a heart condition. Hill was instrumental in raising the money and organizing the Young Hearts for Life event at the high school.
“She could have still been alive, and that’s the main reason that I wanted to do this,” she said.
Hill said she would like to bring the program back every two years, to make sure that students are regularly tested.
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