Because We Know, He Lives!

“Young victim was in top physical condition and best on the team” cried loved ones.

An unexpected killing beast lies within 1 of 500 young athletes. What is this silent killer? It’s the heart disease Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM). The sleeping killer awakens strikes and destroys. The first diagnosis of HCM is often made too late by a medical examiner, if it’s made even then.

The soccer ball was crossed to Brody, #3. The lone freshman bolted past his defender winning the ball. Sprinting up the field, outrunning his opponents, he looked for an open man. His eyes spotted #12, his brother Cody, lead scorer in the state. Cody shook his defender running towards Brody’s perfect pass. Cody lept into the air heading the ball over the defender, past the keepers finger tips and in for the goal! Plays like, that made their team Regional champions and took them to state finals. After regionals, Brody wasn’t himself; no bursts of speed and he no longer out maneuvered opponents. Signs were screaming at us, and tugging at Brody but not being a complainer he pushed onward. Exhausted after final exams, he spent five days in bed. I finally forced him out then he collapsed in front of me. His skin grayed, sweat beaded and I touched his cold face. He experienced something that resembled a heart attack. I rushed him to the hospital before it was too late. Without a diagnosis, Brody would have been back on the soccer field and his heart would be a ticking time bomb. He no longer plays soccer nor can he be involved in active sports because of the risk of sudden death.

HCM is a relatively unknown disease but the leading cause of death of young athletes in the U.S. Some famous victims include: San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Thomas Herrion only twenty three years old who collapsed in the locker room after a preseason game. Jason Collier, an Atlanta Hawks center, died in the middle of the night not knowing he had HCM. Ryan Shay, twenty eight, a runner and Notre Dame graduate from Michigan. However, most victims are teens, not famous and in the public eye.

My heart breaks every time I hear that a young life has been taken by sudden cardiac death. Increased awareness of HCM could possibly save hundreds and thousands of lives. Luckily, Brody is enjoying fulfilling life, and today he does not need a surgically implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). We will adjust to a new midfielder, Brody will learn to adjust to not playing, but we don’t have to adjust to life without Brody.

Pass the word and learn more by visiting www.4HCM.org