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AUBURN, Mass. – Auburn students will receive free EKG heart screenings at Auburn High School on Saturday, Sept. 29, to “serve as another layer of safety for our students,” Superintendent of Schools Maryellen Brunelle announced.
“This is yet another event of which we should all take pride as it is 100 percent for students and provided through the generosity of numerous committed Auburn citizens,” Brunelle said.
According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, an EKG (electrocardiogram) is a painless test that records the heart’s electrical activity. It shows how fast the heart is beating and whether the rhythm of the heartbeat is steady or irregular. Doctors use EKGs to detect and study many heart problems, such as heart attacks, arrhythmia and heart failure.
The Auburn screening will be prepared to handle up to 500 students with help from medical and non-medical volunteers.
Donna Anderson, the parent of an Auburn student, and Kristen Pappas, director of recreation and culture, along with Athletic Director William Garneau and the AHS Booster Club, are organizing the screening.
“I thank all of them and all the volunteers for their help,” Brunelle said. “This is a tremendous event for our students that I hope many families will take advantage of.”
If there’s a concern with an EKG, the student will be referred to his or her doctor for a follow-up.
The testing will use the same screening model as The Nick of Time Foundation in Seattle. Sue Apodaca, its operations director, and Darla Varrenti, director, are planning to attend the Auburn screening. Back in early April, they screened 486 students.
To see an example of a screening in Seattle, visit http://nickoftimefoundation.org/programs/screenings and click on "Nick of Time Screening Video."
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