La Grange Middle School Student Council Promoting Wear Red to Support HCM in February

February is National Heart Month.  The La Grange Middle School Student Council is promoting “Wear Red Day” Friday, February 2, and raising funds for the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association (HCMA).  

HCM has a special connection to La Grange Middle School students.  Kayler Burnett, 7^th grader and Student Council member, was diagnosed with HCM in June 2017.  

"Thankfully, we caught it very early," Burnett said. "Before I could be cleared to play middle school athletics, I had to see a Pediatric Cardiologist because it’s in my family (my Dad – Derrick Burnett).  I encourage kids and adults to pay attention to their hearts and speak up if something doesn’t seem quite right."

Currently, Kayler is not symptomatic, but is not permitted to participate in athletics due to heightened risks specifically with sports. 

“I really miss playing basketball, but it’s been awesome to still be on the teams as manager," said Burnett. "I’m grateful to the coaches, teammates and Administration for making me a part of the team."

In addition to asking everyone to wear red on February 2 in support of Heart Health, Middle School Student Council members will be selling Swirl Suckers for just $1 during lunch the week of Feb. 5-12 to benefit HCMA.  The funds raised will be matched by the Burnett family. Flyers promoting “Go Red” and information on HCM will be sent home with students.

About HCM:  Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy – HCM(pronounced Hyper–tro-fic Cardio-MY-opathy) affects 1 in 500 (over 600,000) people in the USA. HCM is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in the young, including young athletes. HCM affects people of all ages (from birth to 90). HCM is an equal opportunity disease affecting all ethnicities and genders equally. 

Each year approximately 125-200 athletes will die and 1/3 will have HCM. That means approximately every week a young athlete dies from HCM.  If you have HCM, it means that the walls of your heart are thicker than they should be. For more information on HCM go to www.4hcm.org.