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Dublin High School is set to hold a heart health screening project later this month, free to all who attend.
By way of San Francisco-based nonprofit organization Via Heart Project, the high school will host screenings to test for cardiac defects and abnormalities. The goal of the event is to examine kids and young adults for cardiac problems that may have previously gone undetected. The heart screening event is targeted toward younger adults and teenagers, specifically ages 12 to 25 years old.
“Students at Dublin High are super active, in sports, marching band, theater — we are on the move all day,” assistant principal Jennifer Nickl said. In 2019 when the opportunity to hold the heart event arose for the Dublin school, staff was eager for it to materialize. “We have waited almost four years for this to happen,” she said.
Via Heart aims to raise awareness and educate the public on cardiac illnesses. The organization reports that sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death among student athletes, taking the lives of 7,000 to 10,000 children annually. Regular physical examinations do not screen for heart defects, making them much more difficult to diagnose.
“We wanted to offer this great free opportunity for any young person to check in on their heart health,” Nickl said. “This screening is a simple way to prioritize and advocate for oneself.”
Via Heart will provide individual appointments to each prospective patient. Attendees will be able to watch hands-on CPR demonstrations and learn how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED).
Individual heart screenings can take from 60 to 90 minutes and wait times can vary. The tests will include a health heart questionnaire, an EKG test and an echocardiogram.
“This opportunity is important for our community because we strive to empower students to take control of their health,” Nickl said. “Stress free, convenient in terms of location and time, and with immediate results, this is a great first step in their health care journey.”
The Via Heart Project event will take place on the Dublin High campus on Sept. 18 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. It is free to attend and open to ages 12-25. To register for a screening, visit viaheartproject.org/screenings.
