FERNDALE, Mich. (WXYZ) — Corewell Health Beaumont in Royal Oak is gearing up for their next Student Heart Check screening event. Strikes for Screening is helping to fund the effort.
“Strikes for Screening is a fundraiser we put on for the Student Heart Check fund for Corewell Health," Donnell Campbell said.
Donnell is the father of the late Mario Campbell. Mario Campbell was a track star who attended Ferndale High School before his sudden death.
“When I talk about hard work, I didn’t see anybody work as hard as he did,” Donnell Campbell said. “He was ready to put in the work, especially for that last season he was going into because he way hyped about doing the 400 hurdle that year.”
Sadly, 16-year old Mario Campbell never ran that race. He died suddenly on March 14, 2013, from a heart attack in his junior year in the hallway of Ferndale High School.
“It happened rather quickly,” Donnell Campbell said. “And he was at track practice.”
Experts say sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in young athletes.
Dr. Ahmad Sulieman from Corewell Health’s Student Heart Check Program says it is important for youth to get heart checks, especially if there is a family history of heart disease and if a child is physically active.
But he says what is more important is for a parent to know what symptoms to look for.
“They can be vague,” Sulieman said. “Especially chest pain when physically active. We all get chest pain every once in a while, but chest pain with exertional activity is definitely one."
Previous heart health coverage: Former athlete shares survival story at West Bloomfield High School
Sulieman said shortness of breath faster than other kids, along with the inability to keep up with other kids, is also a sign of heart problems.
Donnell Campbell says Mario did not show any signs of heart disease to his knowledge.
'That’s the thing that’s probably the scariest part about it," he said.
Mario Campbell’s track coach, Fred George, says he was there the day Mario collapsed.
“It’s funny because I was going into the equipment room and I was moving some equipment around,” George said. “And the first person to say hello to me was Mario.
“He said 'hey, Coach George.' And I said 'hey, Mario,” George recalled.
Mario Campbell’s coach said he never thought that would be the last greeting he exchanged with him, but he says his death has made him more aware of how important it is to understand an athlete’s health condition.
“Especially with physicals with kids," George said. “Making sure that they have everything on point... I think sometimes as a coach, you also get scared too because we look at things through our eye and you may see a kid overweight or a kid that may seem like they have a physical ailment, and you’re always concerned about what impact that would be for the team and you if something happened.”
Strikes for Screening is taking place this Saturday at Classic Lanes in Rochester. To find out how you can support, click this link.
