Jump Start Your Heart, Inc. continues to make a difference in the lives of student
athletes. The mission and vision of our organization keeps pressing toward the mark.
On February 1, 2011, the story of Shane Ozene was another tragedy in the state of
Louisiana. He attended Acadiana High School in Lafayette, LA. He collapsed and
died playing basketball in a local recreational facility. The cause of death was an
undetected heart condition.
Because we hate to see these tragedies and decided to do something about it: Jump
Start Your Heart, Inc. has provided nearly 600 free cardiovascular screenings in the
Baton Rouge and surrounding areas since 2009. In the spring and summer of 2011,
we made good use of the opportunity to begin screening the existing freshman at Port
Allen High School in West Baton Rouge parish. A parental request was initiated at
Christian Life Academy for the boys high school basketball students and it was very
successful. Coach Mark Casio was very receptive and very concerned about the
welfare of his student athletes; JSYH coordinated the screenings in June 2011.
Our faithful board member, Darryl W, Peterson, who is also an orthopedic surgeon in
the greater Baton Rouge area, invited Jump Start to participate in their annual city
Wide screenings at the Greater Baton Rouge Surgical Hospital. Dr. Peterson, who is
also a native of Louisiana and a partner of the Greater Baton Rouge Surgical
Hospital, was very instrumental in this project. The screenings included his efficient
staff members, volunteer physicians, vision and hearing screenings, ht/wt/blood
pressure evaluations and free cardiovascular exams. We screened close to 150 student
athletes. There were many high schools represented in the East Baton Rouge parishes
and surrounding areas. The Greater Baton Rouge Surgical Hospital even provided
lunch for all the volunteers.
During the summer months of July and August, we partnered with Dr. Vincent
Shaw and his group of physicians affiliated with Sports Medicine and Family Practice
Clinic and provided more FREE cardiovascular screenings for Southern University
student athletes. The Southern University personal trainers coordinated the physicals
and vital signs prior to our heart screenings. There were also student volunteers and
staff from the Virginia College located in the Cortana Mall of Louisiana.
In addition to the previously mentioned successes, in August, we were approached by
assistant basketball coach Shaun LaFleur, at the Baton Rouge Community College
and he requested our organization to do free cardiovascular screenings on the college
athletes. Dr. Shaw graciously provided FREE physicals again. Unfortunately, BRCC
experienced a frightening episode when one their basketball players collapsed in
practice. The student suffered from a heart attack after being revived with CPR. The
head coach saved his life. The work-up later revealed and enlarged heart. The student
can no longer participate in contact sports because the cardiologist recommended an
implantable cardiac defibrillator. Fortunately, we were able to screen all the student
athletes prior to their participation in competitive sports this fall.
Lastly, our dynamic new partner, East Baton Rouge Parish Emergency Medical
Services, participated in the BRCC screenings. We are so excited to have their
personnel involved in the mission and vision of Jump Start Your Heart, Inc. Also,
JSYH will be participating in a pilot study at Broadmoor High School and we will
partner with Health Center in Schools (EBRP School-based clinics). This project will
take place in the spring of 2012. We are hoping this will develop into a long term
partnership and always appreciate your support and donations to keep up going on
this important issue of student athlete health.
Danielle Kelley
Executive Director