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| Nov 15th, 2010 |
HISD and Texas Heart Institute Announce Program to Screen Students for Potentially Fatal Heart Conditions
For Immediate Release:
November 11, 2010 – The Houston Independent School District and the Center for Coronary Artery Anomalies at the Texas Heart Institute (THI) today announced a partnership that will provide voluntary screenings for HISD students in an effort to detect congenital heart abnormalities that can cause sudden cardiac death.
The screenings will take place at selected HISD middle schools over the next two years using a specially built THI mobile imaging unit with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine. With parental permission, each student will be screened using both the MRI and electrocardiogram (ECG) equipment. The process will take about 15 minutes, is non-invasive, and does not use any needles or medication. There will be no cost to parents for the screenings.
The program is expected to begin before the end of the year and Welch Middle School will be one of the first HISD schools to participate. On hand today at Welch to announce the new program and partnership was Superintendent Terry Grier, THI President James T. Willerson, Houston philanthropist Nancy Kinder of the Kinder Foundation, Center for Coronary Artery Anomalies Director Dr. Paolo Angelini, and former heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman.
“This very important outreach effort and partnership between HISD and the Texas Heart Institute will not only benefit our students and their families, but it will save lives,” said HISD Superintendent Terry B. Grier.
“Too often, we hear about a student athlete who dies suddenly in the middle of a game or at a team practice,” said Dr. James T. Willerson, THI President and Medical Director. “It’s a problem with tragic consequences, and we want to do more to address it. Our methods for detection are the most accurate known.”
The screenings will help to diagnose cardiac abnormalities like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or HCM, which can cause abnormal heart rhythms. HCM is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in children, especially young athletes. Cases, or suspected cases, of sudden cardiac death make headlines with some regularity around the country, when a young student athlete is stricken during a game or practice session. However, sudden cardiac death is largely preventable through proper screenings and early detection.
In addition to providing the screenings, THI will use the data they collect to help learn more about heart abnormalities which affect primarily young people, and study their prevalence in the broad population. The project is being underwritten by a $5 million donation by the Kinder Foundation, founded by Houston philanthropists Rich and Nancy Kinder, and with support from Houston-based Cameron.
"Rich and I are delighted to support a great organization like the Texas Heart Institute in tackling a serious medical problem that exists in our community and throughout America,” said Nancy Kinder, President of the Kinder Foundation. “We hope this effort will pay long-term dividends in improving the health of our students over the coming years."
The screenings will take place at selected HISD middle schools over the next two years using a specially built THI mobile imaging unit with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine. With parental permission, each student will be screened using both the MRI and electrocardiogram (ECG) equipment. The process will take about 15 minutes, is non-invasive, and does not use any needles or medication. There will be no cost to parents for the screenings.
The program is expected to begin before the end of the year and Welch Middle School will be one of the first HISD schools to participate. On hand today at Welch to announce the new program and partnership was Superintendent Terry Grier, THI President James T. Willerson, Houston philanthropist Nancy Kinder of the Kinder Foundation, Center for Coronary Artery Anomalies Director Dr. Paolo Angelini, and former heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman.
“This very important outreach effort and partnership between HISD and the Texas Heart Institute will not only benefit our students and their families, but it will save lives,” said HISD Superintendent Terry B. Grier.
“Too often, we hear about a student athlete who dies suddenly in the middle of a game or at a team practice,” said Dr. James T. Willerson, THI President and Medical Director. “It’s a problem with tragic consequences, and we want to do more to address it. Our methods for detection are the most accurate known.”
The screenings will help to diagnose cardiac abnormalities like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or HCM, which can cause abnormal heart rhythms. HCM is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in children, especially young athletes. Cases, or suspected cases, of sudden cardiac death make headlines with some regularity around the country, when a young student athlete is stricken during a game or practice session. However, sudden cardiac death is largely preventable through proper screenings and early detection.
In addition to providing the screenings, THI will use the data they collect to help learn more about heart abnormalities which affect primarily young people, and study their prevalence in the broad population. The project is being underwritten by a $5 million donation by the Kinder Foundation, founded by Houston philanthropists Rich and Nancy Kinder, and with support from Houston-based Cameron.
"Rich and I are delighted to support a great organization like the Texas Heart Institute in tackling a serious medical problem that exists in our community and throughout America,” said Nancy Kinder, President of the Kinder Foundation. “We hope this effort will pay long-term dividends in improving the health of our students over the coming years."
About the Company:
About the Texas Heart® Institute
The Texas Heart Institute (www.texasheart.org), founded by world-renowned cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Denton A. Cooley in 1962, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing the devastating toll of cardiovascular disease through innovative and progressive programs in research, education and improved patient care. Together with its clinical partner, St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, it has been ranked among the top 10 cardiovascular centers in the United States by U.S. News & World Report’s annual guide to “America’s Best Hospitals” for the past 20 years. The Texas Heart Institute is also affiliated with the University of Texas (UT) System, which promotes collaboration in cardiovascular research and education among UT and THI faculty at the Texas Heart Institute and other UT components.
The Houston Independent School District is the largest school district in Texas and the seventh-largest in the United States with 298 schools and more than 200,000 students. The 301-square-mile district is one of the largest employers in the Houston metropolitan area with nearly 30,000 employees.
The Texas Heart Institute (www.texasheart.org), founded by world-renowned cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Denton A. Cooley in 1962, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing the devastating toll of cardiovascular disease through innovative and progressive programs in research, education and improved patient care. Together with its clinical partner, St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, it has been ranked among the top 10 cardiovascular centers in the United States by U.S. News & World Report’s annual guide to “America’s Best Hospitals” for the past 20 years. The Texas Heart Institute is also affiliated with the University of Texas (UT) System, which promotes collaboration in cardiovascular research and education among UT and THI faculty at the Texas Heart Institute and other UT components.
The Houston Independent School District is the largest school district in Texas and the seventh-largest in the United States with 298 schools and more than 200,000 students. The 301-square-mile district is one of the largest employers in the Houston metropolitan area with nearly 30,000 employees.
Houston Independent School District
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