The Chad Foundation to Provide Preventive Cardiac Screenings for Young Harlem Athletes

The Chad Foundation to Provide Preventive Cardiac Screenings for Young Harlem Athletes

MEDIA ADVISORY, April 3 /Christian Newswire/ -- The following release is provided by The Chad Foundation:

What:
The Chad Foundation for Athletes and Artists will provide Cardiac Screenings to high school athletes in Harlem, hosted by the Harlem YMCA. The screenings: an echocardiogram, blood pressure test, and screenings for high cholesterol and diabetes with a simple finger-stick, help to detect lethal abnormalities such as Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) and prevent Sudden Cardiac Death as well as identify potential cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes in school-age students. The screenings, which would normally cost $3,000, will be provided for a nominal donation of $15 per student.

Why:
The number one cause of Sudden Cardiac Death in young athletes is HCM (abnormal thickening of the heart muscle.) The abnormal gene exists in one in every 500 births. The CDC says 3,000 young people between 15 and 34 yrs. die annually of Sudden Cardiac Death. African-American males are more prone to HCM (44% vs. 25% whites). A recent study of 249 teenagers found that 80 percent had an unhealthy buildup of cholesterol on artery walls, often the result of eating high-fat foods. Between 1969 to1999, the obesity rate among Americans aged 18 to 29 more than doubled from 5% to 12%. One in five children who are born in 2000 will develop diabetes.

When:
Saturday, 5th of April 2008 from 10AM to 3PM

Where:
Harlem YMCA
180 W. 135th St.
(2 or 3 train, 135th St. stop)

Who:
The Chad Foundation for Athletes and Artists will provide the screenings with the donated services of local cardiologists, echo techs, lab techs and nurses. The Harlem Y will host the event and local eateries will provide food for the medical staff. Through Corporate partners, Medtronics and The Green Foundation, The Chad Foundation is able to provide this expanded cardiovascular testing and purchase Cholestech machines to screen for diabetes and high cholesterol. Ultrasound manufacturer, SonoSite, will provide portable laptop-size equipment for the echocardiograms. The Chad Foundation will also donate a Zoll AED for the Harlem River Outreach Center. The Chad Players ("Days of Wine and Roses," Off Broadway and Atlantic City, to deter teens from alcoholism) will staff the event. Prizes from the Broadway cast of "Xanadu," "Winton Marsalis Enterprises" and CDs from rap artists from "Universal Records" will be raffle prizes for students participating in the screening.

The Chad Foundation for Athletes and Artists is a non-profit, charitable organization with a 501 c 3 tax- exempt status founded in honour of young Chad Butrum who collapsed suddenly and died while playing football in Van Nuys, CA with no history of heart disease. His foundation inspires youth to live as he did- "Healthy body/mind/ spirit." (Chad never smoked a cigarette or drank an alcoholic beverage his entire Life.) Chad has provided 19 heart screenings in 5 states and abroad (Austria and Sweden, screening 26 countries of athletes participating in the "Homeless Streetsoccer World Cups") for a total of 4,300 persons screened. Post 9-11, Chad provided 2,000 NYPD officers with complete cardiovascular screenings at The NY Police Academy & The Chad Players have provided 6 off Broadway multi-cultural performances to challenge the mind and heal the spirit - "The Gift of Heart and Art."

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