JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Duval County School District is making history thanks to a life-saving donation. The nonprofit, Who We Play For, donated portable electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) machines for all high schools in the district that have athletic programs, so athletic trainers can screen student athletes.
“We had twenty kids in the state of Florida that we know of who have experienced sudden cardiac arrest since October,” Who We Play For Impact Director Shawn Sima said. “I'm the father of a sudden cardiac arrest survivor. I'm a physician's assistant. I've done sports medicine and orthopedics for 25 years. And until it happened to my family, I never truly understood the amount of sudden cardiac arrest victims we have every single year.”
Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death for student athletes according to Who We Play For. A simple, non-invasive heart screening can often detect problems before it’s too late. Wednesday, the Duval County School District became the first in Florida to equip athletic trainers at every high school with an athletic program with heart screening devices.
“Having the capacity to do ECG screenings on site at our schools is going to be phenomenal now, and I'm excited that we're the first district in Florida and as far as I know, the first district in the nation to be able to offer this for our student athletes,” Robert Sefcik, executive director of the Jacksonville Sports Medicine Program said. “When we can detect irregular heart conditions ahead of time before a catastrophic injury or an event, we save lives and that's our full intent for this program."
In January, First Coast News partnered with Who We Play For for a free heart screening event in Jacksonville. Simply Healthcare donated $100,000 to the nonprofit at that event. That money was used to purchase seventeen ECG machines for the school district.
Superintendent Dr. Christopher Bernier is thankful for the partnership.
“When we think about safety, often we think about fences and security and entry technology. But there's a whole other aspect to keeping students safe. And that's making sure that they're medically cleared and healthy to participate in the sports that they love,” Bernier said. “This says that the district is committed, and the community is committed to student safety, both in school and on the field.”
Sefcik says Duval County student athletes will start being screened for free this fall.
“If you're a parent, it's imperative that you realize the risk of sudden cardiac arrest and your children. If your kid is not in high school or at a school where they can get a heart screening, get a heart screening at their pediatrician,” Sima said. “Don't drop your kid off at a football practice or a sports practice unless you know that the coach knows CPR and that there is a defibrillator and AED available just in case. One in 300 children is at risk for sudden cardiac arrest, and it's very important for you to be ready.”
To bring a low-cost heart screening event to your community, visit Who We Play For's website.