Organization gives more than 100 kids free heart screening

An organization helped children and parents in our area learn life saving skills over the weekend.

More than 100 kids received a free heart screening on Saturday for National Youth Heart Screening Day.

The Zac Mago Foundation hosted the event, which also gave parents the chance to learn CPR and how to use an AED.

The foundation was created by the family of Zac Mago, a stand-out senior basketball player at John Glenn who died from sudden cardiac arrest in 2018.

Zac's mother, Teresa Mago, says this is a way to keep Zac's legacy alive.

"There's no better way to honor Zac's life and legacy than through these heart screenings because parents know we've identified more than 70 kids that have conditions. Five of those kids have had corrective surgical procedures and a lot of them now are followed by cardiologists because they know, so they have the chance to get that routine heart care that's not included in your and your child wealth shack or that pre-participation sport physical."

Mago also wants to remind parents that a kid does not have to be an athlete for sudden cardiac arrest to occur, as children's hearts change as they grow and conditions can arise.

She emphasizes the importance of early detections and screenings.