Free heart screening saved one student's life, SafeBeat offering them to all students

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. - With the back-to-school rush in full-swing, you've probably bought the backpacks, paper and pencils, but have you thought about preparing your child's heart for the new school year?

As the new school year gets underway, the SafeBeat initiative team welcomes all Hillsborough County high school students to take advantage of a heart screening. The test is free and takes 7-10 minutes.

The initiative started in March, and since then, hundreds of students have been screened.

Conner Moore,16,  knows firsthand the importance of the screening. He is on the Plant High School basketball team. Doctors discovered Moore had a heart arrhythmia during a screening event in March.

"At the time, I was not thinking about my sports. I was thinking about if I would be okay. I owe my life to this test," Moore said.

Moore has since undergone surgery and said he's back on the basketball court. He has bi-yearly check-ups to monitor his heart. His advice to other students, especially student athletes, "It only takes seconds and if you have a heart problem it can be fixed."

SafeBeat leaders say the screening could cost up to $30.00 at a doctors office. They are offering it free of charge to be administered at a Hillsborough County school.

Visit www. SafeBeat.org to register your child for a screening.