Anoka High School sophomore Gavin Putt took a pass on a medical screening offered in his health class last fall. His teacher this trimester made the in-class screenings mandatory, and for Putt, it may have been a lifesaver.
His blood pressure reading came in high — 183/86 — and more tests revealed that, for all of his 16 years, the avid hockey and soccer player has had a congenital heart condition that is potentially fatal if he overworks his heart.
“Without that class,” said Putt’s father, Jay, “we’d be relying on his next physical and hoping nothing happens in between.”
The other day I was answering an email from the parent of a newly diagnosed child. This particular parent asked me a question I’ve been asked at least a hundred times in the past year; whether this experience has changed me. I’ve always said that Lukas and his journey changed me for the better. But then I was asked the question I’m not so sure anyone else has asked. How? How did it change me? With one word, I began reflecting on the how. I realized I’ve never actually sat down and thought through all the ways this has changed me.
Emotionally, mentally, physically, spiritually. My “change” has been pretty all encompassing.
Clements, a Galena High School graduate and University of Phoenix student, was still recovering from open-heart surgery when she attended last year.
She was born with a congenital heart defect and had three surgeries before she was 2 years old, including one where she lost 90 percent of her blood.
“I’ve struggled with my heart my entire life,” she said. “It’s a part of me.”
Today, she credits being alive to a pacemaker.
A 13-year-old footballer who died on the pitch just moments after celebrating a goal in front of his family was suffering from a ‘one-in-a-million’ heart condition, an inquest heard.
Schoolboy Liam Wood died from an extremely rare undetected heart condition which an inquest into his death heard could have struck at any time.
Liam, from Chesterton, Staffordshire, died on January 8 just moments after scoring a goal for his Sunday league team.
A coroner heard yesterday that Liam had had the heart defect since birth but he and his family were unaware of it.
One in a million? I wish it was one in a million.
Now, Martyn’s mother, Brenda Luckett, and her family are dedicated to raising funds to offer free screening to ensure other families avoid the heartache she endured.
Theirs is one of three families in Devon and Cornwall to arrange annual screening sessions through the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young.
Each year, the tests are offered in North Devon, South Devon and Cornwall, and each is funded by a family who seeks solace from the agony of losing their loved one by helping others.
Over the weekend, scores of people aged between 14 and 35 were offered a simple electrocardiogram test in Barnstaple, at an event that was fully booked.
Imagine being a child and never meeting anyone like you. Imagine being a child that doesn’t feel special, but ostracized. Imagine being unable to contain your excitement at meeting strangers, wanting to make friends, and seeing them turn away.
According to Holly Knaak, her son Kyle is all of those things. He’s never had a true best friend. He’s never known anyone his own age who looks, sounds, or behaves like him.
A week with a teddy bear has changed his life forever. Here’s the story of why.
Meet Kyle
Throughout his 13 years, Kyle Knaak has been missing an important piece of his life: a friend who bears the same scars.
He suffers from a congenital heart defect and a rare genetic disorder known as Williams Syndrome which occurs in only 1 in every 8,000 births. It results in people with the condition being extremely social, friendly to a fault like Kyle, which can be overbearing for other kids his age.
KDKA-TV news anchor Susan Koeppen is scheduled to undergo surgery next week to repair a faulty heart valve.
Ms. Koeppen, 39, collapsed while running with friends Nov. 20, due to a condition stemming from a congenital heart defect.
Ms. Koeppen made a remarkable recovery and has since returned to work. But this latest surgery is necessary to complete her rehabilitation, and doctors have planned it for months.
SALT LAKE CITY — Jared Bangerter admits he’s a political junkie and that’s why, even with a heart and double lung transplant looming in his future, he chose to intern for his uncle during this Legislative session.
The 27-year-old Centerville man was born with a heart defect that required reconstructive surgery when he was six months old. He had a pacemaker installed when he was in eighth grade.
All seemed to be going well until two years ago when he was playing baseball, and “I had a few fainting spells,” Bangerter said.
WASHINGTON – Phoenix’s biggest champion against heart disease descended on the White House Friday to meet with top officials from the Obama administration at an event celebrating American Heart Month.
And his mom and dad came, too.
Emery Miller, a Chandler 13-year-old who has undergone four open-heart surgeries for congenital heart defects, has helped raise nearly $200,000 for the American Heart Association in Phoenix, which nominated him for the White House honor.
Coming to Washington meant missing the Phoenix Heart Walk, the first time he’s been absent since being born, but Emery said this opportunity was worth it.
“Coming up here is going to get us more money even though I’d love to be back in Arizona,” he said Friday. The White House event, which featured 150 people from around the country, was intended to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease, particularly among women and minorities.
