A Lee's Summit family is turning their unexpected loss into a wake-up call for other parents.
Emma Aronson, an accomplished athlete, died last June of a sudden cardiac arrest, an undiagnosed heart condition that is undetected in normal sports physicals.
Student athletes in Lee's Summit get in-depth heart screenings. @41ActionNews pic.twitter.com/1V5LahshtD
— LisaBenson (@lisabensonkshb) January 30, 2016
"We're just really passionate about getting as many kids as we can screened for heart issues, because it was such a sudden unexpected thing for us. We really had no idea," said Laura Aronson, Emma’s mother.
In October, the Aronson family hosted the Emma Aronson 5K to raise money for student athletic heart screenings. These screenings typically cost $150 but today registered participants were able to pay $40.
Student athletes get their hearts checked at St. Luke's Hospital East. @41ActionNews pic.twitter.com/BvN6TEqxzO
— LisaBenson (@lisabensonkshb) January 30, 2016
Dr. Anthony Maglaski says the screenings are important and reveal a lot about the athlete’s current and future health.
"Although it’s rare, we find things by our screenings that are potentially life threatening," said Maglaski.
This is the first of many heart screenings the Aronson family plan to provide for student-athletes and their parents. They hope to have another screening in the spring.
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Lisa Benson can be reached at lisa.benson@kshb.com.
