We do not want to lose one more student to HCM
Few things bring a school community together more quickly than the sudden and unfortunate death of a student. Indian Prairie Unit District 204 has lost three high school students as a result of a previously undiagnosed heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or HCM.
More commonly referred as sudden cardiac death, this condition - if it remains undetected and/or undiagnosed - has led to the deaths of many young adults. According to researchers, HCM is a genetic abnormality present in one in 500 people and it is a condition that claims the lives of about 30 students each week in the United States alone. The dangers are real, the devastating impact on families and friends is huge, and we as a district do not want to lose one more student without taking some type of preventative action.
Indian Prairie, in collaboration with Midwest Heart Community Foundation, Edward Hospital and the Indian Prairie Educational Foundation has launched an important initiative for our students and our school community. This spring we will provide free heart screenings to more than 8,000 high school students over a six-day period.
The Young Hearts 4 Life Cardiac Screening program has screened more than 20,000 students from 15 schools in nearly 40 different communities. What we're attempting to do, however, is truly historic in scope because the size of our high schools represents the largest volume of students to participate in the heart screening at one time.
The heavy volume of students will require a substantial number of volunteers. In the coming weeks, school officials from Neuqua Valley and Waubonsie Valley will team with district officials and parent groups to recruit and train hundreds of parents. For us to screen our students, it will take teams of individuals from our parent organizations working side-by-side with armies of interested community members who answer the call.
Area businesses also will be asked to help by donating supplies for the volunteers. I am hopeful they will follow the leadership of our Indian Prairie Educational Foundation, whose membership has agreed to lead the funding efforts for this project. The foundation understands the gravity of what we're trying to accomplish and I am deeply thankful for their strong support.
The logistics behind this undertaking are huge. For the past five months, a wide range of administrators and representatives have been in planning sessions to ensure what we are setting out to accomplish is not only effective, but also does not disrupt the school day.
The testing procedures themselves will be directed by licensed cardiologists and the entire screening effort takes less than four minutes to complete. If any type of abnormality is detected, on-site medical personnel will work directly with the families and their respective care providers, and the best care and discretion will be observed.
While student participation in the testing is voluntary, it is my hope that a heavy percentage of students participate. Students and parents will have the opportunity to register for a screening online with Midwest Heart beginning in early February.
If you are interested in volunteering at Neuqua Valley or Waubonsie Valley High Schools for this worthwhile program, visit www.ipsd.org for information.
• Stephen Daeschner is superintendent of Indian Prairie Unit District 204.