Nearly 800 youth athletes gathered at Mission Bay High School in Pacific Beach on Sunday, Oct. 25, for a free heart screening organized by the Eric Paredes Save A Life Foundation, as Times of San Diego reported. The preventative event served students aged 12 to 25 from across the region, bringing in participants from local schools like Mission Bay, Coronado, and San Diego High, as well as students traveling from Del Norte High in Poway and Beckman High in Tustin.
The foundation was created to honor the memory of Eric Paredes, a sophomore athlete at Steele Canyon High School who died suddenly and unexpectedly from sudden cardiac arrest in 2009. Following his death, his parents, Hector and Rhina Paredes, established the organization to provide cardiac checks for young people and prevent similar tragedies from affecting other families.
To manage the high volume of participants in Pacific Beach, more than 130 volunteers assembled at the high school. Amanda Baumann, the executive director of the foundation, told Times of San Diego that the volunteer roster included cardiologists, registered nurses, EKG technicians, nursing students, and college students who worked together to move the young athletes through the testing process.
Each participant spent roughly an hour moving through as many as eight dedicated stations. The process began with initial check-in and advanced through practical CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) training. Students then received a 12-lead EKG, with each participant being provided two physical copies of their results. The final stages of the circuit included professional EKG readings, an on-site echocardiogram if the initial testing indicated a need for one, and a final evaluation conducted by a cardiologist. Obtaining these specific comprehensive services independently through private healthcare channels could easily cost an athlete $2,000 or more out of pocket.
The foundation emphasizes that early detection is critical because thousands of young people die from sudden cardiac arrest every year. Mayo Clinic data indicates that sudden cardiac arrest serves as the leading cause of death among young athletes, with estimates indicating that roughly 1 in 50,000 to 1 in 100,000 young athletes dies from the condition annually.
Medical experts point out that standard sports physicals and routine checkups regularly miss or misdiagnose cardiac risk factors because standard appointments do not incorporate full cardiac risk assessments. The foundation notes that medical professionals consider EKGs to be the single best tool for detecting potentially fatal heart abnormalities. However, because these tests are not routinely included in standard pediatric preventative care, the foundation offers the painless screenings free of charge to families.
The Eric Paredes Save A Life Foundation routinely organizes six large-scale screening events throughout San Diego County each year to provide accessible testing and emergency response education. The organization's next scheduled screening event is set to take place on Dec. 6 at Rancho Buena Vista High School, with online registration available through the foundation's official website.