High school athletes push themselves physically. Intense training and practice works athletes into excellent physical condition.

Traditionally, student athletes have undergone sports physicals before starting practice. These general physicals check athletes to make certain they are prepared to undergo a full season of a high school sport. Tragic sudden deaths of athletes like Fennville basketball player Wes Leonard serve as a reminder that cardiovascular screening is also important.

Mercy Health Partners is working to ensure that high school athletes not only to check their general fitness, but also to specifically check their heart for issues before starting practice. Mercy General offers a six step screening process to check athletes’ cardiovascular systems going into the Fall sports season. The program is free to all high school athletes, and the response has been extremely positive. Since the pilot program in May 2011, the program has screened 896 athletes. Currently, Mercy Health Partners is offering the cardiovascular screening as a clinic every Wednesday. Athletes can register online to schedule a screening (link to http://athletehearts.eventbrite.com/)

Participating student athletes go through an extensive screening process, from blood pressure check to medical history, to an full EKG. A physician reviews the data and listens to the heart and lungs to determine if there may be a problem. If a problem is found, follow up care is available but is not free of charge.

The program has already proven fruitful. Four students were found to have Wolfe Parkinson White (WPW), which is an abnormal heart rhythm that can accelerate and can lead into abnormal fatal heart rate. “It is one of the most fulfilling things I've done in 25 years at Mercy,” said Mercy Partners Heart Center Manager Blair Moreau. “The community has embraced it and, parents are grateful. Volunteers have been so supportive. I couldn't ask for more.”

The program is entirely volunteer based. Moreau is proud of the program, and especially its volunteers.“We have great volunteers who do a fabulous job,” he said. “We wouldn't be able to provide service without volunteers. It is entirely volunteer based. That's what makes it so beautiful.”

Cardiovascular screening is offered at the Mercy Heart Center on Sherman and Roberts every Wednesday. You must register and schedule a appointment. All of the schedule information and registration forms are available at athletehearts.eventbrite.com.