By Teresa Martinez - Belen Jesuit Preparatory School
Photographer: COURTESY PHOTO
A technician performs an EKG screening on Belen Jesuit freshman Israel Lopez Morillo.
MIAMI | Students from Belen Jesuit Preparatory School’s crew teams received EKG screenings at Miami Children’s Hospital in early October as part of the hospital's ongoing initiative to identify young athletes at risk before tragedy strikes.
Every three days in the U.S., a student athlete dies of sudden cardiac death (SCD), which is the leading cause of sudden death among young athletes. Usually there are no advance signs or symptoms.
Miami Children's Hospital has been offering free EKG screenings to middle and high school students since 2011 in an effort to identify those at risk of a condition that can lead to "sudden cardiac death." The hospital has screened more than 1,500 children since the program’s inception.
“We are pleased that Belen crew team has taken preventive measures to ensure their athletes are in the best health possible. No child should die from a preventable cause,” said Dr. Anthony Rossi, director of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit.
The Belen crew team began its inaugural season in mid-November of 2000, and has since secured many victories and awards under the direction of Head Coach Yunian Cabrera. Throughout the 2013-14 season, the varsity crew team won 52 medals, including 24 gold and one international title. Belen is a sixth through 12th grade all boys Catholic school with a student body of 1,500.
"This is a wonderful opportunity that Miami Children's Hospital is giving parents of athletes and I'm very proud that the Belen Jesuit crew team is able to take of advantage of this screening," said Coach Cabrera.
EKG screenings are performed at MCH’s main campus near Coral Gables, as well as all eight MCH outpatient locations in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. The screenings are offered free of charge and do not require a referral from a pediatrician. A patient’s ability to receive a free EKG is not conditioned on his or her ordering any other item or service from Miami Children’s or its medical staff.
For more information or to make an appointment for an EKG screening please call 1-855 MCH-EKGS or visit www.mch.com/ekg.
