(WXYZ) - At 15-years old-Kimberly Anne Gillary was the picture of
health. A competitive swimmer and varsity water polo player at Troy
Athens High School. But, on April 1, 2000, right in the middle of a
varsity match with another school she suddenly suffered a heart
attack and died.
Heart specialist Andrew Hauser was at the match watching his own
daughter and was the first physician to reach Kimberly.
“She was unconcious, not responding to stimuli of any kind,
she was lifeless and so we began a full resusitative effort to save
her.”
What’s so shocking is that Kimberly had been competing in
high level sports since the age of four, and she had already
gone through and passed the physical exam that all Michigan high
school athletes are required to take - it wasn’t
enough.
Now for the first time ever, the prestigious British Journal of
Sports Medicine is calling for all young athletes competing in high
school sports to be tested for heart abnormalities to prevent
sudden cardiac death.
The journal says quote: “Health-care governing bodies need
to be convinced that now is the time for universal ekg (heart)
screening of all young athletes and make the necessary provisions
for nationwide screening programs to commence.”
Kimberly Gillary’s father agrees that the basic sports
physicals currently being given are a joke.
“Basically they are going to listen to you with a
stethoscope, tap on your chest, ask you to cough and that’s
it.”
That’s why three years ago Channel 7 and Beaumont
Hospitals launched “The Seven Health Edge Heart Check”
The only program of it’s kind in the country that takes high
school athletes through a series of in-depth heart tests, tests
that would normally cost up to $1000 dollars - absolutely
free.
Channel 7 and Beaumont Hospitals will again offer this lifesaving
heart program on Saturday November 14, at Oakland University.
To register for this free heart screening program just call
1-800-633-7377.
