By Chris Chancellor

Reporter

An athlete may appear and feel fine on the court or field, but that impression can be deceiving.

Because heart conditions are not always obvious.

To fight that – and raise awareness about the subject – Joey Santos and his mother, Abby, have signed up Auburn Mountainview to participate in the Nick of Time Foundation’s heart-screening event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 6 at the high school.

The nonprofit organization is dedicated to reducing the rate of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in children and young adults.

Santos, a senior wrestler who placed fifth in the Class 3A 138-pound weight class at state last month, learned about the organization through his mother, who saw a news report when he was a freshman.

“My mom saw it on the TV,” Santos said. “She said, ‘You’re going to leave school early, and we’re going to get your heart checked.’ ”

The next day, Santos said, he traveled to Bishop Blanchet High School in Seattle for a screening. He said after signing up, boys and girls went to separate screening areas where they underwent electrocardiogram testing. Once he was cleared, Santos said, his blood pressure and heart rate were tested. He said if a concern was raised during the exam, those participants were taken to a cardiologist for further examination.

“One of the things that made a big influence on Joey is the 8-to-15 young adults who needed further evaluation,” Abby Santos said. “When you put it in that perspective, this could be one of my friends that I go to school with.”

Santos, the senior class president at Auburn Mountainview who plans to pursue a business degree at either Gonzaga or Washington, then decided he wanted to bring the event to his school. So he applied to the Nick of Time Foundation.

Darla Varrenti, founder and executive director of the Nick of Time Foundation, said the organization has a “huge waiting list,” but is happy to be back in Auburn. The foundation’s last event here was six years ago at Auburn High.

“Joey Santos has just been unbelievable,” said Varrenti, who started the organization after her 16-year-old son, Nicholas, died of SCA while sleeping after a weekend of playing football in 2004. “They’ve been getting the word out why this is so important. It’s the leading cause of death for students exercising on the school ground.”

A heart attack occurs when blood flow stops to a part of the heart. But with SCA, there is a sudden stop in blood flow to a part of the heart that damages its muscle.

Response times are significant for survival. According to the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, survival rates decrease by 7-to-10 percent for every minute without CPR and defibrillation after SCA.

SCA, according to the Mayo Clinic, usually develops in a person with a pre-existing heart condition, such as coronary artery disease; heart attack; enlarged heart; valvular heart disease; congenital heart disease; and electrical problems in the heart.

Nicholas Varrenti’s family was unaware at the time of his death that he was suffering from a disease that caused the heart’s muscle tissue to thicken without an obvious cause. That condition often does not show any signs or symptoms before the victim goes into SCA.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), more than 6,000 people younger than 18 experience SCA each year. AHA’s 2015 study indicated that most sudden deaths in young athletes were attributable to cardiovascular disease.

But Darla Varrenti cautioned that SCA could also happen to a child sitting at his or her desk.

“It happens a lot, and people don’t realize it’s something we need to be aware of,” she said.

Nick of Time Foundation heart screenings are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are open to any student within the 14- to 24-year-old age group. Screening health history forms are available at Auburn Mountainview or online at www.nickoftimefoundation.org/programs/screenings/.

Varrenti said she solicits a $25 donation “to keep the program sustainable,” but noted that the Santos family has worked hard at fundraising for the event. Abby Santos said the goal was to raise $12,500, which would cover 500 screenings. Last Friday, she estimated they had raised less than 50 percent of that goal.

“Our plead to the community is if this touches your heart, donate to Auburn Mountainview,” she said, noting that tax deductible donations can be made online atwww.nickoftimefoundation.org for “AMHS Screen” or via cash or checks to the foundation. “One hundred dollars will sponsor four kids to get their heart screened.”

Students unable to attend the event at Auburn Mountainview may also register for two later Nick of Time Foundation heart screenings. The first is May 4 at Everett High School, and the last one of the school year is May 20 at Ellensburg High.

Varrenti said the Nick of Time Foundation’s medical director, Joathan Drezner, is the team physician for the Seattle Seahawks and is responsible for the orthopedic and sports medicine curriculum within the Family Medical Residency program at the University of Washington. She said students can schedule appointments for heart screenings at the Sports Medicine Center at Husky Stadium for $50.