Athletic and academic leaders in our community have been instrumental in helping the EP Save A Life Foundation to find youth at risk for Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA). We have partnered with area schools to provide thousands of cardiac screenings to San Diego teens, which have identified hundreds of kids with undetected heart abnormalities—literal ticking timebombs.
“Granite Hills High School had been previously affected by SCA with the unexpected loss of Ciara Horton-VanDerVliet. The free heart screenings conducted by the EP Save a Life Foundation provided such a valuable service to the families of our community. The positive attitudes and dedication of all of the volunteers was extremely impressive.”
“After hearing about Eric and learning more about SCA/D, I knew we had to offer screenings. The way I see it, there is no other option. We can save a life, period. But we also save a family, a school, and a community from a tragedy that is preventable.”
“The free cardiac screening held at Ramona High School was a “no brainer” for our school and community. The chance to get such a fantastic internal evaluation of a young heart insures health or offers a warning before something terrible could happen. I do not see why everyone does not do this.”
“When I heard about these heart screenings, I immediately wanted this opportunity for the teens in Escondido. The tragedy of losing a child to Sudden Cardiac Arrest is unimaginable. If there is a possibility that one child is saved then there was no question that this event needed to take place. The professionalism, caring and dedication of all the volunteers that participated in this event was incredible.”
As a principal, I have long known that my high school is more than an educational institution. We are a community. On July 23, 2009 one member of our community, Eric Paredes, died tragically of Sudden Cardiac Arrest. The tragedy occurred because his death could have been prevented if he had been properly screened. He was only fifteen years old.
After Eric died, I learned that between one and two percent of the general population carries a risk for Sudden Cardiac Arrest. That translates to between twenty-two and forty-four of my current students. Steele Canyon High School is the common denominator that all of these students share and was the logical place to hold a large-scale cardiac screening. At Steele Canyon’s cardiac screening, four hundred sixty-one outwardly healthy students were screened—five students were found to be at risk of Sudden Cardiac Arrest and one required an immediate heart procedure. That day, we definitely saved one young man’s life and quite probably saved the lives of five other young people.
Sincerely,
Eileen Poole, Former CEO/Principal