On Saturday, May 31, more than 1,100 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools student-athletes received free sports screenings that included a general medical, musculoskeletal, vision, blood pressure and heart screening at the Heart of a Champion Day event held at Carolinas College of Health Sciences on the campus of Carolinas Medical Center. Heart of a Champion Day was staffed by more than 400 volunteer doctors, clinicians, nurses, and other community members, making it the largest, most comprehensive screening of its kind in the Southeast. The event was organized by Charlotte-Meckenburg Schools, Carolinas Medical Center, Levine Children's Hospital, Sanger Clinic and OrthoCarolina, and was funded by grants from the Carolinas HealthCare Foundation and Kohl's Department Stores.

The screenings are unique because they include an electrocardiogram and an echocardiogram to check for heart conditions that could potentially cause sudden death during athletic competition. Although neither of these heart tests is part of a routine athletic screening, the screening is not intended to substitute for a student's required physical examination. If the students did not already have a primary care provider, they were given a list of participating physicians and encouraged to call to make an appointment prior to beginning any school athletic training.

"We want to catch these young people before a catastrophic event occurs, so they can get needed treatment or make lifestyle modifications to live a normal life," said Dr. Herbert Stern, director of pediatric cardiology at Sanger Clinic, and the key organizer of the event.

The event is considered a huge success by all parties involved and plans are already beginning for next year's Heart of a Champion Day event which will take place the end of May 2009.

"This event is all about the kids and giving back to the community. You never know, one day one of these kids could be the next Steve Smith and really be able to give back to his community the way that someone gave to him" says Sharon Szepesi, Heart of a Champion Day Volunteer from Sanger Clinic.

Many thanks go out to all of the volunteers who donated their time, equipment and money to make this event a success and to ultimately save lives.

***Save the Date: May 30, 2009 - Heart of a Champion Day***