MMH Providing Free Heart Screenings for Teens

On December 15th, Midland Memorial Hospital in collaboration with Championship Hearts Foundation, will be providing free heart screenings to students between the ages of 14 and 18. The event will be held from 9 AM to 1:30 PM inside the Aqua Entrance off Illinois.

Athletes, cheerleaders, marching band students, drill team members and those who participate in vigorous exercise are encouraged to get their hearts screened for possible deadly genetic heart conditions such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). In addition, several other conditions predisposing to sudden cardiac death can be detected with this screening.

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 sports physical exams. Both the ECG and ECHO are noninvasive, painless and valued at $700+.

Registration for the December 15th event is full, but spots are still available for January 12th. Parents can register at www.champhearts.org.