When Julie Schroeder’s son Jake West, 17, died suddenly of an undetected heart condition, she wanted to keep other families from experiencing the same tragedy.

Schroeder founded Play for Jake three years ago. The foundation now helps to provide free heart screenings to students and raise awareness about the issue.

More than 400 Niles High School students signed up for the exams, which started Wednesday in the gym.

“All the physicals that our children go through are so basic,” Schroeder said. “My son went through those and there was never a red flag.  [The test] is going to show what we cannot see.”

Some of the students were a bit nervous about the test. While the screenings were not mandatory, Niles High School principal Molly Brawley encouraged students to sign up.

“In speaking with the kids who were nervous about it, we spent a lot of time explaining that it could be a life saver and not to be nervous,” Brawley said. “[The] response has been overwhelmingly good.”

Schroeder commended the Niles community for working so hard to help bring the event together. Part of that was the availability of Niles students, who helped to administer tests, as well as a number of volunteers.

Students from the Niles Professional Health Career Academy conducted the EKG tests with the assistance of a nurse. The students are HIPPA certified and trained to conduct the test.

The first portion of the test monitors the electrical activity of the heart and seeks to detect any irregular heartbeats known as arrhythmia or dysrhythmia.

After the EKG test, a pediatric cardiologist examined students’ results. The final part of the test was getting a picture of their heart taken for further examination. Students’ results were expected to be sent out immediately following their test.

But the test usually is not cheap, costing around $2,000.

With cardiac death being the number one killer of student athletes according to the foundation, getting tested could have the potential to save lives.

This was the reason Southwest Medical Center nurse practitioner Mandy Mills, of Niles, volunteered to help supervise the tests on her day off.

“I think it matters, because these are tools that are used typically when people are having problems,” Mills said. “As a young child it is not typically not a tool or test I would order for children not having problems at the time. If you are healthy and not having any symptoms these tests would typically not be ordered.”

Since the Play for Jake Foundation has begun offering the screenings, each test has detected a handful of students who might have an abnormal heart condition.

“We hope that we do not find anybody, but statistics tell us we will find somebody here,” said the foundation development partner Dan Bigg.

After the test, students can talk to their family about the right steps and change their lifestyle or seek medical treatment.

Along the gym, portraits of teenagers who had lost their lives — or nearly lost their lives — due to an undetected heart condition stretched over part of the gym.

Up to seven participants at a time could be tested. Curtains divided the testing areas and those running the tests were equipped with a table and EKG equipment.

Zachary Coplen, 16, said he did not want to refuse the opportunity to be tested.

“For one it is a lot of money and I am doing it for free,” Coplen said. “I mean why wouldn’t I? Then if I end up having a problem at least I know.”

Boy students were tested on Wednesday and the girls will be receiving their screenings on May 4.

Bigg the foundation raises money through a variety of fundraisers through out the year. They have also received donations from the LaPorte Kiwana’s.

For the Niles visit, several teachers helped to fundraise approximately $500. Local businesses also donated food and coffee to offer to volunteers through out the day.