Photo by Who We Play For.
A life-threatening heart condition looms unseen in 1 out of every 300 youth and a ECG can detect a life-threatening heart defect that may result in sudden cardiac arrest.
According to a press release, a Florida nonprofit called “Who We Play For” is offering life-saving heart screenings to adolescents on Saturday in St Petersburg. Registration is now available for ages 10 to 25, regardless of fitness level, to receive a free 5-minute electrocardiogram (ECG).
This event will be held Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Galen College of Nursing in St Petersburg. Medical professionals will be conducting the non-invasive screenings. It involves sticking small pads like band-aids to a person’s torso; boys and girls are screened separately.
All student athletes taking part in high school sports will need to receive a heart screening before tryout or practices this upcoming school year, this is thanks to a new Florida law called The Second Chance Act. It is designed to identify and prevent sudden cardiac arrest, which results in the deaths of roughly 23,000 youth annually.
“February 7 is National Youth Screening Day, and we are thrilled to help spread the message that all kids deserve to have their hearts checked. It’s our honor to help protect families across Florida from the worst tragedy imaginable–losing a child to a preventable condition,” said Evan Ernst, Executive Director of Who We Play For.
Pre-registration is highly recommended as walk-in patients are not always accepted.