Tom Vardase does not have any kids, but he has a heart, and learning of the death two years ago of Cedar Grove cross country runner Shai Owens touched his emotional core. Then, a discussion with his cardiologist spurred Vardase to do something.
Tom Vardase does not have any kids, but he has unofficially adopted hundreds who have appeared on the Georgia Public Broadcasting show he produces, "Prep Sports Plus."
"You can't help but fall in love with them," Vardase said.
And so, the combination of Vardase's genuine interest in the youths and the tragedy that has befallen too many moved him to become a partner in the Heart Screens for Teens program that ultimately led to the detection of a hole in the heart (and likely saved the life) of Tricia McCue of Blessed Trinity earlier this year.
In April, Vardase started Smart Heart Scan, which basically is another vehicle to save kids' lives. Smart Heart Scan travels to any school that is interested in protecting its student-athletes and for $58 provides life-saving service.
Vardase reports in his recent findings that 10 out of 312 students screened at five schools were identified with heart ailments or conditions that could have been deadly.
Those are scary numbers. When this newspaper dedicated four days and tons of research to this issue last year, many doctors asserted, among other things, that: a) screening every athlete was cost-prohibitive and b) that not many youths have life-threatening heart conditions.
Well, committed folks like Vardase, Chattahoochee parent Alison Findlay and the parents of Owens and Ryan Boslet -- the popular Chattahoochee athlete who died in 2002 of a heart condition -- have shown that there are no boundaries when it comes to protecting our kids. Period. And their efforts have shown that there are potentially more devastating deaths out there to be prevented.
Findlay and the Boslets have been at the forefront of the movement to make things happen. Their efforts have grown into a tidal wave, as the likes of Vardase, Dr. Robert Campbell of Emory, Children's Healthcare, Children's Miracle Network and countless others continue to push and prod to assure every kid has a chance.
In January, the Boslet bill should be passed by the Senate, requiring thorough screenings of all teenage athletes in Georgia and a video designed to help educate coaches, trainers and parents of warning signs, risks, consequences of the use of some supplements, etc.
Meanwhile, Findlay's ambition is to take the video national by early next year. "This whole thing has been unbelievable," Findlay said. "We thought we'd go years and find maybe one child we could help. But the numbers are such that it's encouraging that we can save so many, but scary, too, because there are so many out there who have not been properly screened."
Scary still are the parents Findlay and others encounter who seem more intent on their kid playing sports than living a lengthy life. "I told one woman," Findlay said, "it's like this: Do you want to see your child have his 35th birthday or have to put him in the ground at 17. . . . She got the point then." | |
