Salinas Valley Health to Screen Student Athletes for Congenital Heart Issues

Media Contact: Karina Rusk
831-759-1843

What: Salinas Valley Health to Screen Student Athletes for Congenital Heart Issues
When: Friday October 21
Time: 11:00am- 2:00pm
Who: More than 100 student athletes
Where: Gonzales High School
501 5th Street Gonzales, CA 93926
Interview Opportunities: Students, school principal, doctors, CMN program administrator
Visuals: Physicians conducting EKG tests on students, Automated External Defibrillators (AED) units, Taylor Farms fresh healthy snack packs distribution

Salinas Valley Health launches a life saving program to help screen hundreds of student athletes for congenital heart issues at Gonzales High School. Sudden Cardiac Arrest is the leading cause of death among young athletes and these screenings could save lives. The comprehensive and unique project is called S.E.E. which stands for Screen, Educate, and Equip. More than 100 student athletes will undergo heart screenings at Gonzales High Schools on Friday, October 21.

“These free heart screenings will provide peace of mind and possibly lifesaving information to the athletes and their families,” says Pete Delgado, President/CEO of Salinas Valley Health. “It’s a safety net for at- risk cases. Education is key to a healthy life and we are providing the students with the tools to accomplish that goal.”

The S.E.E. program is the only program of its kind in the tri county area. Children’s Miracle Network Hospital (CMN) at Salinas Valley Health funds the program to address the threat to young athletes who appear healthy and have no known medical conditions. The program was unveiled in September when CMN provided Gonzales High School with two new Automated External Defibrillators (AED) and dozens of students were taught to perform cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR). As part of the program, all 750 students and faculty will receive education and training in CPR and AED.

“The S.E.E. Program not only educates and equips the students and faculty with valuable potentially lifesaving information and equipment, it’s also a safety net for at-risk cases,” says Christopher Oh, MD, of Salinas Valley Health Clinics Central Coast Cardiology. “Often times heart problems go undiagnosed in young people, now we have the opportunity to catch abnormalities and save lives.”

Taylor Farms is donating hundreds of fresh healthy snack packs to students while they wait to be screened. Taylor Farms has expanded operations in South County and partnered with Salinas Valley Health in building the Salinas Valley Health Taylor Farms Family Health & Wellness Center in Gonzales.

Electrocardiogram (EKG) technicians will conduct the heart screenings in the gymnasium of Gonzales High School on Friday October 21st from 11:00 am to 2:00pm. Salinas Valley Health Emergency room physicians will be there to read the results of the EKGs. If abnormalities were to be found, an onsite Echocardiogram would be done and the student would be provided with a list of recommended pediatric cardiologists to consult with after the screening. Students will also receive a copy of their EKG results and notes from the physicians indicating what was observed.