Foundation preserves son’s memory

February is National Heart Month and to raise awareness about the 23,000 children and young adults lost each year to sudden cardiac arrest, Parent Heart Watch is announc­ing the first ever National Youth Heart Screening Day, set for Saturday, Feb. 1. The Eric Paredes Save A Life Foundation is part of this landmark initiative.

The Eric Paredes Save A Life Foundation was found­ed in 2010 by an East Coun­ty family who lost their son to an undetected heart condition that caused sud­den cardiac arrest. Typical well-child checks and sports physicals do not provide preventative EKGs, so these conditions are often missed or misdiagnosed. The foun­dation has provided nearly 43,000 free screenings to youth ages 12 to 25 for 15 years. These screenings aim to educate the public about warning signs, family heart history and risk factors that are often missed or misdiag­nosed. The initiative high­lights the importance of comprehensive early detec­tion screening, which iden­tifies more youth at risk for SCA, and how anyone can save an SCA victim by us­ing CPR and an automated external defibrillator in a cardiac emergency.

Eric Parades was a healthy Steele Canyon High School sophomore athlete who died suddenly and un­expectedly from Sudden Cardiac Arrest/Death in 2009. His par­ents, Hector and Rhina Paredes, established Eric Paredes Save A Life Foundation to honor him through their commitment to prevent this tragedy from hap­pening to other families. Saving lives is paramount to our mis­sion and prevention is our goal.

The EP Save A Life Founda­tion is holding free screenings to youth in San Diego County at West Hills High School in San­tee on Feb. 1, from 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. Registration secures a spot, but day-of walk-ins are welcome after 12 p.m.

Hector Paredes said he found his son collapsed on the floor 15 years ago.

“He was a Steele Canyon High School athlete. He played football and wrestled. We did not know that he had an un­detected heart condition. That is unfortunate, because pre-participation physicals do not include an electrocardiogram or an EKG, a cardio history evalu­ation. We are working to change that,” he said. “We created the nonprofit now dedicated to rais­ing awareness of sudden cardi­ac arrest. One in 300 of young people are now walking around with a heart condition, and now we know that 23,000 youth lose their lives to an undetected heart condition.”

The EP Save A Life Founda­tion also has heart screening events on March 30 at El Capi­tan High School, and on June 8 at the Jackie Robinson Family YMCA.

To register for this event, visit https://bit.ly/4hpeN2l.

For information on National Youth Heart Screening Day and to learn more about SCA in children and young adults, visit https://bit.ly/nyhsd.

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