If EKG screenings save one life, ‘it was well worth it’

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Updated: August 4, 2011 4:20PM

What is your worst nightmare? Mine is that my children would, for any reason, die before I do.

“That is the answer most parents would give,” said Dr. Joseph Marek, one of the founders of the Young Hearts for Life program. In 2004, Roosevelt Jones, of Nequa Valley High School, died because of an undiagnosed heart condition, Marek said. Soon after, the doctor noticed two articles in the Wall Street Journal about how these sudden deaths of young people had been reduced in Europe by 89 percent over a 25-year period through simple electrocardiogram (EKG) testing. And so began his quest to have all young people tested to prevent these sudden and devastating deaths.

Meghan Hill, a West Aurora High School coach and physical education teacher, has worked tirelessly to bring this program to West. And now thanks to her efforts and some generous donors, all West High students will be offered free EKG screenings Feb. 10 and 11 at the school.

“A heart condition can happen to anyone,” Hill said. “My cousin Kathryn Bender was a senior in high school at Naperville North. She died at Waubonsie High School going on stage for a dance competition. They rushed her to Rush Copley, but she had already passed away. My cousin was not considered an athlete at her school. She danced outside of school and was not in any sport for Naperville North.”

What Hill said next made me choke on tears: “One week later Kathryn got an acceptance letter to (Northern Illinois University) for college. She always wanted to go there. We didn’t have any idea that anything was wrong. If she had the opportunity to have her heart screened, things could be different.”

Marek said he realized that “if someone is going to come up with a solution, it’s going to be us as cardiologists.” But cardiologists couldn’t do it alone. It was not cost effective to pay all the medical personnel necessary, and it was difficult to constantly get so many to donate the time required to screen large schools. Then Marek realized that giving an EKG was something parent volunteers could easily learn. The only essential medical staff would be a cardiologist to donate time to read the results. That way, costs came down to supplies, equipment and paperwork. Suddenly a procedure that could cost up to $250 at a hospital was available to an entire school for less than $10 per student. “This is a great example of a community working together to solve a problem,” Marek said.

The final part of the equation is covering the cost, however reduced, of testing a school as large as West. Sponsors for next month’s screenings include the West Aurora Sports Boosters, David and Midge Shafer, the Kiwanas Club and Jane Lynn. Pockets and Chipotle are even donating food for the event.

Lynn, who graduated from West and has worked there for 30 years, donated in memory of her husband, Jim. She said, “When my husband died, our family decided to give donations made in his name to any project or equipment that would benefit student athletes at West Aurora High School. Jim loved watching athletic events at West High. In addition, he was an outstanding high school athlete himself. He played basketball and baseball for Newark High School. Jim also played semi-professional baseball for a short period of time.

“Our family heard that the Cardiac Screening program was short of funding, so we decided this was an excellent cause to contribute towards. ... If this screening saves just one high school student’s life, it will be well worth it.”

Hill is still looking for parent volunteers and donors for the program. It doesn’t have to be a huge amount; in fact, I just plan to “pay it forward,” donating the cost of testing my own children and giving a few hours of my time to help.

“We need 180 people to help these two days of screening happen,” Hill said. “There will be a training session on Feb. 9 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. or 7 to 8:30. Volunteers don’t need any medical background. We will teach them everything in the training sessions.”

Contact her at mhill@sd129.org or call 630-301-6641.

Nick Sargis, a senior at West, knows first-hand how important the screenings are.

“I was having heart issues and went to a doctor about it, and after having an EKG, and many more tests, they were able to perform surgery and save my life,” he told me. “I am trying to get every student at West to participate in the EKG screening, (because) you can’t put a price on a life.”

Deena Sherman can be reached at deenasherman@att.net.