Thankstoa grantfromtheCodyStephensMemorial Foundation,screening of1,000BeaumontISD athletesfor heartconditionswill began this weekatthehigh school field houses. Ozen screeningswill be Thursday,followed byCentral on Fridayand WestBrookonMonday.
EKG equipmentand professional staffwillconductthescreenings.Anyconcernsdiscovered inthe studentathlete’stesting resultswill includerecommendationsfor a doctor’svisit and possiblyadditional testing.
Rodney Saveat,directorofathleticsinBISD,said “Wearethankful forthis support. The $15,000grant will help usscreenatleasta third ofall theathletesinour district.Theseare youth who competeina number of sports,ranging fromfootball,basketball,tennis and soccertoswimming,track, baseball,volleyball and more. Thisis amajor contribution tohelping usbe moreproactivein preventing catastrophicattackssuch as the onessuffered byCrosbyHigh’slateCodyStevensand WestOrangeStarkHigh’slateReggieGarrett.”
Cody’sfather, ScottStephens,and his familyturned a personaltragedyintoa waytohelpothers. After losing hisson tosudden cardiacarrest,Stephensstarted the“CodyStephensGoBig or GoHomeMemorial Foundation,”offering grantstoschool districts tohelpprovide heartscreeningsfor studentathletes. Stephens presentedBeaumontISD with a granttohelp thedistrictstartits programtoprovidelow-costEKGtesting for studentswhoarerequiredtohavepre-participation physicals for UniversityInterscholasticLeague(UIL) activities. (TheEKG screening isan additional step beyond thestandard studentathletephysical.)
Stephensexplainsthatthesimpletestmighthaverevealed the heart problemthatclaimed thelifeof his son lastMay.Codywasjusta fewweeksawayfromgraduation atCrosbyHigh Schooland waslooking forwardtoshowing hispig,steer and lamb attheCrosbyFair and Rodeoin June.The 6’9”,289lb. athletealso waspreparing toattendcollege ona football scholarship. On thatSundayafternoon,Codytooka nap in his father’srecliner and neverwokeup.
Sincethen, Stephenshasdevoted hiseffortstotrying tomakesurethat noother parentsgothrough whatheand hisfamilyhave experienced.Thefoundation in hisson’sname—in keeping with Cody’sfavorite saying,“GoBig or GoHome!—hasawarded grantstomorethan15school districtstohelp providethe screeningsfor studentswhoare unabletocoverthecosts.
When former BeaumontISDCoach SteveShaver passed awayinMarch,his familyposted the following message."AsCoach Shaver devoted hislifetothewell beingof bothmind and bodyof hisstudent athletes,thefamilyrequestsin lieuof flowers,remembrancesbesenttoTheCodyStephensGoBigor Go HomeMemorial Foundation which isa 501c(3)foundation thatpromotesand providesfunding fortheuseof ECG heartscreening withstudentathleticphysicalsthroughoutTexas. "
“Weareveryappreciativeof thefundswereceived inCoach Shaver's memoryand honortotheCody StephensFoundation andwanttoprovidelow-cost EKG screening ofUIL participantsand ensurethatall students,even thosethatcannotafford it,mayparticipatein thetesting,” Stephenssaid. Thefoundation has teamed up with CypressECG Projectwhich actuallydoesthescreenings. CypressECG hasdoneover30,000 tests overthepastdecade.