In our inaugural blog post, we talked about giving back to the community with a free echocardiogram screening program for 8th graders participating in sports.
DECEMBER 6TH 2008 – FREE ECHOCARDIOGRAM SCREENING
On Saturday, December 6th, 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 11th, 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.
