Young Hearts for Life (YH4L) was on campus all day Tuesday, October 15th, screening students for unidentified heart conditions. YH4L was founded in 2006 to address youth cardiac death. Every week, more than sixty young people suffer sudden cardiac death. YH4L performs electrocardiograms (EKGs/ECGs) on high school students to try to identify heart irregularities that may lead to sudden cardiac death. Of the hundreds of thousands of students screened, over 3,000 have been identified as “at risk”, and hundreds have been found to have life-threatening conditions. Young Hearts for Life is the largest youth heart screening program in the country.
105 volunteers assisted in administering EKGs to students. 991 students were screened, and when absences were factored in, Benet’s participation rate met the 85% goal set by the school for a spirit day to be earned. Their average participation rate across all schools is 56%, and according to Denise Arenz, YH4L’s program director, private schools and smaller public schools tend to have higher participation rates. She says, “Student and parent engagement, strong booster/parents clubs, and excellent lines of communication all have a huge impact on participation.”
This life-saving screening has paid off; a small handful of students were identified with abnormal ECG, indicating a potential heart irregularity, and will require a follow-up with a cardiologist. Since YH4L first came to Benet, ten screening days have taken place, and a total of 9,970 students have been screened; of this number, 1% have been identified with potential irregularities.
YH4L has deep ties to Benet: Dr. Marek, founder of the organization, sent all of his kids to Benet, and longtime religion teacher Mr. Mike Bremner’s wife Monica serves as the YH4L program nurse. Many Benet students are on the organization’s junior board, which comprises students from dozens of surrounding high schools. It serves as a great opportunity to give back to your community, meet new people, and bring awareness about heart irregularities.
Young Hearts for Life will visit Benet once again during the 2026-2027 school year.
