Student-athletes at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) are now able to register online to receive free sports screenings during Heart of a Champion Day on Saturday, June 5. The third annual event is a partnership between CMS and Levine Children’s Hospital, Carolinas Medical Center (CMC), Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute and OrthoCarolina.
Rising 10th, 11th and 12th graders may complete the necessary forms, including a medical history, by visitingwww.heartofachampionday.org. Registration will close on May 31 or when enrollment reaches 2,000 students, whichever comes first. The screenings will take place at the Carolinas College of Health Sciences on CMC’s campus, 1200 Blythe Boulevard.
During Heart of a Champion Day, students will receive a free general sports screening, musculoskeletal check and a vision examination. The screenings are unique because they also include an electrocardiogram and an echocardiogram to check for heart conditions that could potentially cause sudden death during athletic competition. Neither of these heart tests is part of a routine athletic screening and does not eliminate the risk.
In 2009, more than 1,200 students were screened and some 65 were referred to physicians for further evaluation before being cleared to participate in sports. Conditions discovered included a number of heart irregularities, elevated blood pressure, post-concussion syndrome, uncontrolled asthma, overuse injuries, and vision problems.
Supported with funding provided by Carolinas HealthCare Foundation’s annual Cupid’s Cup 5k race, Heart of a Champion Day will be staffed by more than 400 volunteer doctors, clinicians, nurses and other community members. It is believed to be the largest, most comprehensive screening of its kind in the United States.
