| Submitted by Mariko Hewitt
Students in grade five at Calhoun Middle School - and their parents or guardians - are invited to participate in a screening program that will help families take steps now to prevent future heart problems. The free screening will take place at Calhoun Middle School on Thursday, March 27, at 8:30 a.m.
The CARDIAC Project - "Coronary Artery Risk Detection In Appalachian Communities" - has mobilized health professionals, educators and parents in 45 West Virginia counties to educate children about healthy eating habits and the benefits of physical exercise. CARDIAC Project health screenings have been conducted throughout West Virginia, thanks to the efforts of the West Virginia Rural Health Education Partnership (RHEP).
In February, Calhoun Middle School 5th graders took part in a mini-seminar presented by Allison Witte, R.N., on nutrition and how to read food labels, as well as a graphic demonstration of hidden fat in prepared foods. Students received information about the CARDIAC Project and parental consent forms for the screening on March 27, as well as a bag of gifts, including pencils, magnets, and educational materials about the importance of healthy diet and a regular routine of moderate exercise.
During the screening at Calhoun Middle School, health care professionals from School-Based Health and Minnie Hamilton Health Care will weigh, measure height, and take blood pressure readings from 5th graders whose parents have signed a family history and permission form. Each 5th grader and their parents or guardians are then eligible for free cholesterol screening. Students are encouraged to take part in the health screening, even if they do not want to have the cholesterol screening.
Parents or guardians of 5th graders who are unable to attend the free screening at 8:30 a.m. on March 27 should contact Anna Reno or Robin Schimmel at RHEP (354-7251), or Mariko Hewitt at Minnie Hamilton Health Care (354-9244, ext. 235) for more information on how to have a free cholesterol screening at a later date.
Results will be sent to each family, along with suggestions on how to reduce the risk of heart disease. In addition, if a child's screening results indicate a medical problem, the family will be advised to contact their family doctor or pediatrician.
The screening program also helps find the small percentage of children who have an inherited disease that puts them at much higher risk for heart disease. About one in every 250 to 500 people has familial hypercholesterolemia, or FH (an inherited condition that causes high cholesterol). People with FH have an increased chance of having a heart attack at an early age. When the screening finds a child with this condition, the entire family should be tested. The screening program will also help in identifying those who are at risk for hyperinsulinemia, a condition that contributes to the development of Type II diabetes.
With major funding from the WV State Legislature, foundation grants, WVRHEP and the community's health care providers, the CARDIAC Project is intended to become a permanent part of the state's efforts to improve health. The future health of our state depends on what we teach our children today. | 
