Dist. 204 hopes to begin heart testing athletes soon

The effort may not have been in time to save Zamarri Doby's life, but Indian Prairie Unit District 204 officials say they have been trying since March to provide free heart screenings for their students.

District officials said Monday they've increased their efforts in the wake of Zamarri's June 22 death, apparently caused by an enlarged heart also known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or HCM.

Zamarri, a 16-year-old Waubonsie Valley High School junior, died after he collapsed while playing basketball at Plainfield South High School.

Superintendent Stephen Daeschner said new community relations director Jason Altenbern began pushing for such a program shortly after he was hired in March. Deputy Superintendent Kathy Birkett has been working with him to get a deal done.

"For two months, those individuals have been working to get 204 involved in a program that would screen our students for cardiac illnesses," Daeschner said. "I can't put a time frame on it but I'm confident we'll get this thing done soon."

Altenbern referred questions to district spokeswoman Janet Buglio, who said Monday that principals and athletic directors have been involved in the process, as have officials from Naperville Unit District 203.

The Midwest Heart Foundation began offering free EKGs to DuPage County high school students in 2006. Since then, it has screened 19,000 people, of which 2 percent showed abnormalities requiring additional testing.

The foundation also began EKG screenings of students at Naperville North and Naperville Central high schools who had their parents' permission. Beginning this fall, all District 203 high school students, not just athletes, will have been screened.

"Jason's focus has been on establishing business partnerships with the district and Midwest is another partnership he's pursuing," Buglio said. "Our interest in forming that partnership has certainly increased due to last week's tragic death."

Several Midwest officials were unavailable by telephone Monday.

Buglio said the district is looking into funding options for the program in case the grants Midwest receives would not cover the cost of partnering with the district.