Young Hearts for Life® Mission Statement

"We firmly believe EKG screening of all physically active young persons, regardless of gender or sports affiliation is clinically justified, cost-effective and ethically compelling. There are some things you cannot place an economic value on and a child’s life is one of them."

Joseph C. Marek, MD
Founder and Medical Director

About Young Hearts for Life (YH4L)

Sadly, we have all heard stories and read articles about teens, seemingly in peak athletic condition, who suddenly and shockingly have died during sports activities.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) claims the lives of 30 young adults every week in the United States. facts at a glance.

The tragedy of these deaths for families and our communities is amplified when we realize how needless and preventable they are: one-third of these deaths may have been prevented through a simple, inexpensive heart screening.

Midwest Heart Foundation, under the guidance of Dr. Joseph Marek, clinical cardiologist with Midwest Heart Specialists, is working to increase awareness of sudden cardiac death in young adults.

The Young Hearts for Life® Cardiac Screening Program brings qualified medical volunteers to high schools to provide free electrocardiograms (ECGs) to identify high school students at risk for sudden cardiac death.

The ECG can help to detect potentially life threatening heart conditions such as Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM, the leading cause of death in young athletes), Long QT syndrome, Brugada syndrome, and ARVD.

Since 2006, Midwest Heart Foundation in collaboration with high schools, community hospitals and volunteers has provided free ECG screenings to over 62,000 high school students.

The Screening Process

The screening consist of an electrocardiogram (ECG, a painless, non-invasive test that provides information about heart rate and rhythm) Read more

Why this Screening Program is so Important

Many of these life threatening heart conditions in young adults can be detected with an electrocardiogram. Read more