By Matthew Fahr
The Oakland Press
WEST BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Inspired by concern and tragedy, West Bloomfield High School student Matilda Evardsson is bringing awareness to sudden cardiac arrest in students.
She developed the “WB Has Heart” program with the help of a scholarship from the West Bloomfield Youth Assistance program and has received additional funding from Corewell Beaumont through their Student Heart Check initiative.
While getting a physical before the start of volleyball season, Evardsson was told by her doctor of the increase in sudden cardiac arrests in students.
She said she remembered the story of Simon Mirkes, 16, of Farmington Hills who collapsed and died, reportedly of cardiac issues, in Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska in 2023 and when Lebron James’ son Bronny also had a cardiac incident in 2023.
“This sparked my passion for understanding how communities can prevent student deaths from sudden cardiac arrest,” she wrote on her website wbhasaheart.com.
For World Restart a Heart Day on Oct. 16, West Bloomfield juniors Edvardsson, Sofia Zholob and Amarina Kriko partnered with Corewell Health and West Bloomfield Fire Department to train over 150 staff and students in hands-only CPR.
“Matilda has taken an important idea and developed a really fantastic program,” said Blake Belsky, captain of the West Bloomfield Fire Department EMS division. “We are excited that she has invited us to partner with her in her education and prevention efforts.”
Hands-free CPR, awareness building, and heart screenings are all part of Matilda and her team’s quest to make the high school a Michigan Heart Safe School . The school already has the Automated External Defibrillator machines required for that designation.
As part of the WB Has Heart initiative:
They will provide free Student Heart Checks at West Bloomfield High School on February 1st, 2025 in partnership with Corewell Health
Securing Michigan HEARTSafe School designation for WBHS by becoming prepared for a cardiac emergency
Offering free CPR Training
Fundraising through the sale of “WB Has Heart” merchandise
Bringing speakers to WBHS to highlight the importance of heart health and emergency preparedness
Games and prizes the week leading up to 2025 Valentine’s Day to drive heart health awareness
“I thought it was an amazing opportunity to show as many people as possible the lifesaving intervention of CPR,” said Avery Wright, WBFD firefighter paramedic. “CPR is the most crucial treatment and the faster it can be administered the better – before 911 gets there is the gold standard.”
“I’ve been really happy with the turnout and engagement, and I feel very confident they would be able to step in if something happened,” Wright said.
Jennifer Shea, Corewell Health’s manager of student heart screening, agreed.
“We’ve never had student engagement at this level in the 17 years we’ve been doing this,” said Shea.
Shea said about 1 in every 100 students they screen find a condition that requires follow-up. In Corewell’s program, 21,000 students have been screened to date, 2,200 were referred for follow-up, and 232 had significant heart conditions they were not aware of.
“Heart screening is not part of the typical sports physical and insurance doesn’t typically cover it unless there is a family history or the student is experiencing symptoms,” Shea said.
On Feb. 1, 2025, the same student team will partner with Corewell to offer 22 heart screening exam areas in the high school gym. Sign-up will open about six weeks in advance for the free screenings and 12 cardiologists have already committed to help.
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