Close to the Heart: Improved youth heart screenings continue to grow

By Larry Atseff

Experts in children’s heart disease, in partnership with hundreds of volunteers, are the pillars of Young Hearts For Life (YH4L). The organization offers free ECGs to all students—not just athletes—to detect conditions that may cause sudden cardiac death. Over 320,000 students in DuPage County and Chicagoland have been screened due to YH4L, with over 3,400 identified for further medical support.

Recently, in late April, at a YH4L screening at Hinsdale Central High School, the O’Meara family of the Mend A Heart Foundation and the Brindley family of Just1Mike were in attendance, as was Dr. Frank Zimmerman, Medical Director of YH4L. They all agreed that unselfish, dedicated volunteers committed to YH4L allow the program to thrive.

Along with countless other supporters, the O’Meara and Brindley families are among many who have dedicated their time and financial support to ensure all students have access to this free, potentially life-saving screening through YH4L. Brian and Bridget O’Meara’s son, Liam, was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) and successfully underwent three reconstructive heart surgeries.

They started the Mend A Heart Foundation to help fund pediatric congenital heart research and support YH4L. Kristy and Bob Brindley’s son, Michael, passed away at age 17 from sudden cardiac arrest. They started Just1mike in honor of him and promote and support ECG screening, CPR, and AED (Automated External Defibrillator) awareness, education, and placement of AEDs in the community.

Dr. Joseph Marek, who founded YH4L in 2006, was aware of cardiac issues in young adults that could cause cardiac arrest and death. He began a very practical approach to screening as many young people as possible for heart problems—at no charge—with help from volunteers, schools, and parents.

The model of creating awareness, conducting the screenings, reading the ECGs, and then taking future steps to help has worked well. Today, pediatric electrophysiologist Dr. Frank Zimmerman carries on the tradition and has helped focus screening techniques to be ever more effective. He is modest in saying, “I just helped fine-tune the important markers using the latest screening techniques and standardizing the screenings.” His approach is becoming adopted across the country.

For more information on how to support their important efforts or volunteer, visit mendaheart.org, just1mike.org, and yh4l.org. ■