“We’re More Than Realtors”….In Long Beach, N.Y. – Volume 1, Number 6

 Echocardiogram Screening Process Continues

    As reported, in April 2009, the Long Beach School Board approved the agreement between the School District and Schneider Children’s Hospital, along with the sponsorship of the Jason F. Gruen Research Foundation, to continue echocardiogram screening for 8th grade student athletes.

    The hospitals’ legal team changed hands, therefore a new agreement needs to be executed. By Mid-July, a new screening date should be set. Planning will then begin for the 2009-2010 school year with outreach & public awareness campaigns to get the word out.

    Last year 52 eighth graders were screened for HCM (hypertropic cardiomyopathy), with one cardiac abnormality detected.

    Our hope is to bring awareness to more families this year.

“We’re More Than Realtors”……. In Long Beach, N.Y.

-         Volume 1, Number 5

 

 

      Echocardiogram Screening Process Continues

 

            On April 7^th, 2009 the Long Beach School Board unanimously approved the agreement between the School District and Schneider Children’s Hospital, along with the sponsorship of the Jason F. Gruen Research Foundation, to continue echocardiogram screening for 8^th grade student-athletes this fall. What remains is the signing of the agreement by all concerned parties.

Planning Phase Begins

            Planning will then begin with outreach & public awareness efforts to communicate with as many student-athletes and parents as possible.

           

            Last year, which was the first year, 52 8^th grade student-athletes had a free echocardiogram with one cardiac abnormality detected (possibly an enlarged heart, caused by HCM- hypertropic cardiomyopathy). Our hope is to bring awareness to more students-athletes this year.

 

“WE’RE MORE THAN REALTORS”. . . . IN LONG BEACH, N.Y. – VOLUME 1, NUMBER 4

 

2009 ECHOCARDIOGRAM SCREENING PROGRAM

 

In our continuing effort to inform the community about future echocardiogram screenings for 8^th grade student-athletes, we are making the following entry:

 

SCHOOL DISTRICT MOVES FORWARD

 

The Long Beach School District has begun the process of entering into another screening contract with Schneider Children’s Hospital. Notice must be given to the School Board for its approval. It must appear on the April 2009 agenda for final approval at the May 2009 School Board meeting. The Jason F. Gruen Research Foundation has again agreed to sponsor the project for 2009, but community funds will be needed for 2010. Dr. Bierman and his team of technicians have agreed to participate again this fall.

 

 

 

PARENT PARTICIPATION

 

Outreach & public relations efforts will be made by meeting with parents prior to the screening date, such as parents night, visiting the MLK Center and Circulo, to name a few.

 

The next date in this process, as mentioned before is April 7^th, 2009. This is the night where the program will appear on the Board of Education Agenda for approval.

 

Stay tuned!

Our first two blogposts talked about giving back to the community with a free echocardiogram screening program aimed at 8^th graders participating in sports. On Dec. 6^th 2008, 52 student athletes received a free heart screening at the Middle School.

 

Realtors®, School Officials, & Hospital Technicians

Who participated in Screening.

 

RESULTS ARE IN!

The results are in between then & now (February 2009). Much exposure has occurred. The local Herald Newspaper covered the event, as did the Long Island Board of Realtors. Newsday.com featured the story, as did Newsday (Sunday edition). The Long Beach School District ran the story on its website, as well as its “Connections” Newsletter, which was mailed to every household in the district.

 

A LIFE IS SAVED!

One student with a cardiac abnormality was discovered! The parents have been notified with follow-up testing & treatment expected. The other 51 families were also notified.

 

            Plans to continue for the next round of heart screenings are under way, hopefully for the Fall 2009 semester.

           

            Fundraisers, funding, and work on contracts will begin shortly. Stay tuned!

In our inaugural blog post, we talked about giving back to the community with a free echocardiogram screening program for 8^th graders participating in sports.

 

DECEMBER 6^TH 2008 – FREE ECHOCARDIOGRAM SCREENING

 

On Saturday, December 6^th, 2008, 52 eighth grade boys and girls who participate in sports had a free echocardiogram screening to determine if any cardiac abnormalities, such as HCM (hypertropic cardiomyopathy), existed. Each student was accompanied by a parent.

HCM is one of the leading causes of sudden cardiac death in athletes. Over exertion during strenuous exercise enlarges the left ventricle and septum wall of the heart, preventing blood flow & causing sudden death. This occurs in undetected cases making the screening process so valuable.

 

JASON F. GRUEN RESEARCH FOUNDATION

& SCHNEIDER CHILDERN’S HOSPITAL

 

The program was made possible through the Jason F. Gruen  Research Foundation, headed by Susan Gruen Helsinger, and Schneider Children’s Hospital, under the direction of Dr. Fred Bierman, Chairman of Pediatrics.

 

LONG BEACH, N.Y. SCHOOL DISTRICT

 

The Long Beach School District became only the second public school district in America to participate in this program. The hope is to continue for at least 4 years so that each class will go through Long Beach High School with an opportunity to be screened, free of charge.

            Instrumental in that effort has been Arnie Epstein (District Director of Athletes, Physical Education and Health) Barbara Young, (Distict Nurse) Patrick Gallagher, (School Board President) and Dr. Robert Greenberg, (District Superintendent).

 

ELECTED OFFICIALS, REALTOR COMMUNITY, LOCAL COVERAGE

 

 

Supporting the program were Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg, Nassau Legislator Denise Ford and City Councilwoman Denise Tangney.

The Long Island Board of Realtors Public Relations Department came to the Middle School screening; wrote a story with photos, documenting the event. It can be viewed in the December 2008 issue of the Realtor Newspaper (pg. 8), under the Outreach program. Joe Sinnona, its Public Relations Chairman, was out-of-state at the time.

The Long Beach Herald also ran an article in its December 11^th, 2008 edition, under its “Schools” section. Pictured below is a photo of those who attended the heart screening event.

 

 Attending The Heart Screening Program were seated, from left, Susan Gruen Helsinger, founder of the Jason F. Gruen Foundation, City Council member Denise Tangney and district nurse Barbara Young. Standing, from left, are Dr. Fred Bierman, chairman of the department of pediatrics at Schneider Children’s Hospital, Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg, Neil Sterrer, co-chairman of the Long Beach/ Island Park Broker’s Council, School board President Patrick Gallagher and Arnold Epstein, District Director of Athletes, physical education and health.

 

 

AWAITING RESULTS

 

Screening evaluations take about 4-6 weeks. As soon as the results are known, we will post another blog, along with additional information about HCM, screening, sudden cardiac death, etc. Until next time!

 

PLEASE GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK

 

Thank you.

Welcome to Sterrer Realty’s inaugural blogpost. Since this is a real estate blogsite, one would expect, anticipate, even demand information about real estate on the Barrier Beach of Long Beach, NY and the surrounding towns of Atlantic Beach, Lido Beach, Point Lookout and Island Park. And you will, but not yet!

 

This blog is chainlinked to www.sterrerrealty.com. That’s where all your real estate needs will be satisfied (selling, buying, leasing, appraising, marketing, links to the community, points of interest, restaurants, parks, etc.) even sold properties & cyberhomes.

 

 

 

            Here’s where we will establish a whole new, different and unique type of communication.

 

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

 

 

            Here’s where we’ll introduce the National Campaign entitled “We’re More Than Realtors“. It’s a place where local realtors can give back to their community, in addition to being members of various local clubs, organizations, societies, and sporting events (which, by the way, is a very good thing)

 

 

 

This is where we will discuss our involvement, at the next level, in an extremely unique venture; echocardiogram screening for 8^th graders participating in sports.

 

 

 

            One of the causes of Sudden Death in Athletes is HCM- hypertropic cardiomyopathy (an abnormality of the left ventricle of the heart chamber, causing enlargement, then closing off the septum wall, not permitting blood flow. This is one cause of Sudden Death. The more athletes vigorously exercise, the quicker the closure.

 

 

 

            A fellow Realtor in a neighboring town lost her 14 year old son to this undiagnosed condition 20 years ago and has since founded the Jason F. Gruen Research Foundation. She worked with her State Senator, secured funding and with a Pediatric Cardiologist from Schneider Childrens Hospital, to perform onsite echocardiogram screenings at her local Middle School in 2006.

 

 

The heart of a 13 year old becomes structured enough where abnormalities can be detected, if they exist. Over 600 children have been screened since then with more than 20 detected abnormalities. All were treated. This pilot program has received much local attention and many awards. They were the first public school district in America to offer this service.

 

 

 

             Now, after 18 months of hard work, we are bringing her program to the Long Beach School system (many meetings with local school & hospital officials, fellow Realtors, school and Realtor Board Public Relations groups, lots of traveling, several presentations + more, has finally paid off).

 

FREE ECHOCARDIOGRAM SCREENING DECEMBER 6TH

 

On Saturday, December 6^th, 2008, from 9 AM – 12 Noon at the Middle School Gym, Long Beach will become only the second Public School District in America to offer this on-site service of echocardiogram screenings for 8^th graders who want to participate in sports.

 

 

 

            Future postings will cover the follow-up work in this area, in addition to lists of Sudden Deaths in Athletes nationwide, reports about echocardiogram screenings, HCM, etc.

 

 

PLEASE GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK

 

            We welcome your comments and concerns. We hope you appreciate our efforts to be more then Realtors, to constructively as well as productively, give back to our community.

 

Thank you.

Welcome to Long Beach NY Real Estate, Barrier Beach Properties.