CareSource and Who We Play For launch initiative to provide lifesaving ECG screenings on every HBCU campus in Florida.
(Source Florida Courier):
In an unprecedented initiative to even the playing field for Black athletes, CareSource, a nationally recognized nonprofit managed care organization, kicked off its joint effort with Who We Play For to provide advanced heart screenings to every HBCU (Historically Black College or University) athlete and interested students in Florida.
The official launch of this statewide, life-saving effort took place this weekend at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University ( FAMU ) with more than 100 interested students lining up for the free heart screenings.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is a significant risk for Black athletes, and while ECGs are a standard test at most NCAA schools, many HBCUs lack the resources to offer these screenings to their athletes and band members.
This partnership between CareSource and Who We Play For aims to bridge the health equity gap and prioritize the well-being of HBCU athletes and students.
Heart screening events will take place at every HBCU campus until all athletes have been screened for detectible, life-threatening heart conditions.
This includes multiple screenings at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), Florida Memorial University (FMU), Bethune-Cookman University and Edward Waters University to provide electrocardiogram (ECG) screenings to every athlete across all sports, as well as any interested students.
Black athletes are disproportionately at risk for sudden cardiac arrest, the leading cause of death for student athletes during sports. With CareSource’s support, Who We Play For, a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating sudden cardiac death among the young through heart screenings, AEDs and working with communities, will provide the staff, cardiology expertise and equipment to implement the cardiac screenings.
“While most professional, Olympic and notable collegiate athletes receive heart screenings as a standard of care, HBCUs sadly lack the resources to provide electrocardiograms for their athletes,” said Evan Ernst, Executive Director of Who We Play For. “Thanks to CareSource, we can screen and detect underlying heart conditions among these higher-risk athletes and potentially save lives on HBCU campuses across the state.”
Who We Play For will conduct heart screening events at all four HBCU campuses in Florida, including Edward Waters University in Jacksonville, Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, FMU in Miami Gardens and FAMU in Tallahassee. Excitement for the heart screenings is rapidly spreading beyond the athletic field to the student population.
In fact, members of the historic marching bands at FAMU and Bethune-Cookman were the first to express interest in having their band members screened as well.
“The commitment CareSource extends to our members and to our communities includes taking an integrated approach to health equity,” said Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer & Executive Vice President of CareSource. “As a physician and an HBCU alum, I am proud to work for an organization authentically vested in the health and well-being of Florida’s HBCU athletes and students.”
This initiative furthers CareSource’s rich history of collaboration with and support for HBCUs. This includes hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships, health initiatives, employee volunteerism, and recruitment efforts. HBCU alumni have integral leadership roles throughout the organization and on the executive management team.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA)
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is the sudden loss of all heart activity due to an irregular heart rhythm. Studies have also shown that SCA is the leading medical cause of death in athletes.
Incidents of SCA among high visibility African American athletes such as Bronny James and Damar Hamlin have increased national awareness for SCA and for the need for heart screenings for youth as well as for access to AEDs at schools and gyms across the nation.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 2,000 young people die from sudden cardiac arrest each year – many without previously known heart issues.
“One in 300 young persons has a potentially life-threatening, detectible heart condition,” said Dr. Jonathan Drezner, the head of the UW Medical Center for Sports Cardiology in Washington and Who We Play For Board Member. “The risk for a male, Black, Division 1, NCAA basketball player is 1 in 2000 per year. This is not rare.”
SCA is the leading cause of death in sports
SCA is the leading cause of death on school campuses
SCA is the first symptom for 80% of athletes
ECGs are the most effective tool to identify youth at risk for SCA
Black athletes are disproportionately at risk for SCA
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