Observing September As Children's Cardiomyopathy Awareness Month

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Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Speaker, when my constituent Matthew Nehaus was 9, he suddenly lost weight, became too tired to participate in sports, and was frequently overcome by coughing bouts. Concerned, his parents took him to the doctor, who initially thought the cause was an infection or pneumonia. But an X-ray led to a much scarier diagnosis--cardiomyopathy.

Cardiomyopathy is a degenerative disease of the heart muscle that weakens its ability to efficiently and effectively pump blood around the body. Though more common for adults, it is a leading cause of sudden cardiac arrest and heart transplants in children.

This September is the second annual Children's Cardiomyopathy Awareness Month, an opportunity to educate people about the condition, its signs and risk factors, as well as advocate for policies that help address it.

One of those policies, which I'm proud to support, is H.R. 829, the SAFE PLAY Act. Introduced by Representatives Lois Capps and Bill Pascrell, the bill would take a number of needed steps to protect the safety of student athletes, including developing emergency response plans at schools, communicating the risks of overexertion in hot weather, and teaching students to conduct CPR and use defibrillators. Another important measure of this bill is identifying students with cardiomyopathy to help them get treatment and reduce their risks.

Luckily, Matthew Nehaus and his family found out about his condition in time to stabilize his health and, after years on the donation list, he received a heart transplant. I'm so grateful that Matthew has the opportunity to pursue a bright future and dearly hope that other children facing cardiomyopathy get the same chance. Please join me in spreading awareness about this condition and supporting policies that can lead to early detection and better health outcomes for these kids.

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