Neighbor News
Advocate Good Sam co-sponsors YH4L cardiac screenings at DGS
Over 1,800 students at Downers Grove South High were screened for life-threatening issues thanks to local nonprofit Young Hearts For Life
DOWNERS GROVE – More than 1,800 students at Downers Grove South High School were screened for life-threatening cardiac issues thanks to local nonprofit Young Hearts For Life (YH4L).
The organization offered free electrocardiograph procedures to the school’s entire student body on Oct. 26, sponsored by Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital and other community partners.
The YH4L heart screening program was founded in 2006 by Dr. Joseph Marek, a clinical cardiologist at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital and senior medical director of Cardiopulmonary Service with Advocate Medical Group.
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The organization’s goal is to offer the simple, noninvasive tests performed by community volunteers to catch electrical abnormalities in the hearts of young men and women that can cause sudden death. To date, it has screened over 180,000 students and identified more than 2,400 students with previously undetected heart conditions, including seven at Downers Grove South.
“Today's screening was successful because the community, school and local businesses came together to try to do something for these children,” Marek said. “Although it is a tough phone call for these parents to receive, their child now has the opportunity to get treatment for a life-threatening condition they previously were not aware of.”
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YH4L is the largest screening program in the U.S. and is well known for its unique model that uses trained community volunteers to deliver a low cost, efficient screening program. Marek, an internationally recognized cardiologist, has taught physicians across the country how to run screenings for students and athletes.
“We never set out to be the biggest—we just wanted to make a difference in the lives of young people,” Marek said. “The amazing growth comes because of the energy and commitment of our donors, sponsors and thousands of volunteers whose only goal is to save lives.”
Other sponsors of the event included the Ken Holland Memorial Fund, YH4L Donors and the District 99 Education Foundation. To learn more about the organization, visit yh4l.org and advocatehealth.com/health-services/advocate-heart-institute/young-hearts-for-life.
