Sudden Athlete Deaths Spur Action

Screenings Detect Heart Abnormalities
POSTED: 10:33 pm EDT March 14, 2011

INDIANAPOLIS -- Recent incidents of athletes collapsing and dying during or after sporting events are drawing the attention of other athletes and their parents.

The family of John Stewart, a 7-foot-1-inch-tall, 300-pound Lawrence North High School basketball player who died from sudden cardiac death during the Indiana state basketball tournament in 1999, has worked since his death to educate people about the ailment, 6News' Rick Hightower reported.

"We've worked for this for a long time. I'm so excited that Indiana University Health has taken this on as an initiative," said Feleica Stewart, CEO of the John Stewart Foundation.

About 60 Hamilton County student athletes, including Gary Schorr, took a free echogram screening at Hamilton Southeastern Junior High School on Monday.

"It's a growing topic," Schorr said. "There are a lot more kids talking about it with the recent acccidents."

"This test helps, because you really never know," said Trisha Schorr, Gary's mother. "Even if you don't have a family history of a heart problem, anywhere it could start."

Medical experts conducted the screenings, which are designed to find heart defects that an EKG might not detect.

"By structural abnormalities, I mean that the heart muscle is either abnormally thickened, or there's a valve issue where the valve is abnormal, or perhaps they have an aortic issue," said Dr. Ed Harlamert.

Parents said the test provides peace of mind for them and young athletes.

"We just wanted them to have the echogram to make sure everything was fine before they started their track season," said parent Pamela Smith.

"Watching the news and seeing other kids collapse is hard to see, so I'm glad I got this done and that nothing is wrong with me," said Walter Smith, a track athlete.

Chad Guest, athletic director at Hamilton Southeastern Junior High, was one of Stewart's teammates.

"It's one of the hardest things I've ever been through," he said. "There's not a day goes by that I don't think about it."

"I wish 13 years ago, someone would have taken this on, and I might have my son today," Stewart said, adding that an estimated 200 student athletes' lives have been saved because of early detection since her son's death.

Martha Lopez-Anderson

Chair, Board of Directors

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