Booker High offers affordable heart screenings for student athletes

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Dozens of students and parents attended an ECG screening at Booker High Monday, a test that typically could cost hundreds of dollars offered for $20.

The screening aims to catch heart issues in student athletes before they step on the field.

“We’re seeing more and more of these cases of student athletes that were dying and we started to learn more about how this could be prevented,” said state Rep. Fiona McFarland.

McFarland said the Second Chance Act took time and money, but it was well worth it.

“I hope we found some kids tonight. I hope there was some students that will pop on this ECG,” McFarland said. “Not because I wish they could. I hope that on anyone, but because just statistically, one in 300 kids has something going on with their heart that they didn’t know about before. How amazing if we helped a family discover that about their child.”

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Students who spoke Monday said they feel the heat when they’re playing and are glad to get the screening done.

“I know the football is a really big sport at our school. I know that we have summer workouts for football and baseball and that really, the heat risk really predisposes people to heart issues,” one student said. “So these heart scans are really important to make sure that kids are healthy and prepared to play the sports that they love.”

The supervisor of government affairs for the district said the availability and affordability of these services is important.

“So having that available to our families is something that we’re really proud of,” he said. “And again, we just hope that if there is an abnormality, we’re able to catch it before it’s too late.”