MILFORD, Mich. – Players on the Milford High School basketball team would say that athletes are never too young to get a heart screening. Less than a month ago, their teammate, 15-year-old Cole Painter, unexpectedly died from a heart problem.
On Wednesday, the team went to Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, where cardiologists and experts preformed heart checks, taught CPR and showed players how to use an AED.
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Beaumont started the Student Heart Check in 2007 to help detect youths at risk for sudden cardiac arrest. Heart checks are not routinely included in the annual physical required for participating in high school sports, even though experts said sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in young athletes.
The Student Heart Checks are free and include:
- Medical history evaluation
- Blood pressure check
- Physical examination
- Electrocardiogram, or ECG
- Echocardiogram, quick look
Sandwich franchise Jersey Mike's has raised over $160,000 for the program, proving free screenings to 6,000 students. Part of this year's funds raised by Jersey Mike's will provide 22 new AED machines to high school athletic teams in each location's city, and replace some of well-worn medical equipment from the 10 years of screenings.
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