The Sentinel

What student-athletes need to know about Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Illustration: Sanjay K J/Pixabay

Family Features - You may find it difficult to wrap your mind around the idea of an energetic student-athlete with a cardiac diagnosis. Heart conditions may be more often associated with older individuals, but you might be surprised to learn hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the most common condition responsible for sudden cardiac death in young athletes. In fact, it's the cause of 40% of sudden cardiac death cases.

It's estimated 1 in every 500 adults living in the United States has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, according to the American Heart Association, but a significant percentage are undiagnosed. More than 80% of individuals who experience this condition show no signs or symptoms before sudden cardiac death. While sudden cardiac death is rare, it can occur during exercise or in its aftermath. That's why it's important for student-athletes and their loved ones to learn more about this condition and talk to a doctor about their risk.

With proper knowledge and the support of a skilled care team, it's possible to manage hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with heart-healthy actions to prevent complications or worsening cardiovascular conditions like atrial fibrillation (a quivering or irregular heartbeat), stroke or heart failure. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy awareness and education for athletes by the American Heart Association is made possible in part by a grant from the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation.

What is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the most common form of inherited heart disease and can affect people of any age. It's defined by thickening and stiffening of the walls of the heart. The heart's chambers cannot fill up or pump blood out adequately, so the heart is unable to function normally.

There are different types of this condition. Most people have a form of the disease in which the wall that separates the two bottom chambers of the heart (the septum) becomes enlarged and restricts blood flow out of the heart (obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy).

However, sometimes hypertrophic cardiomyopathy occurs without significant blocking of blood flow (nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy). The heart's main pumping chamber is still thickened and may become increasingly stiff, reducing the amount of blood taken in then pumped out to the body with each heartbeat.

What are possible symptoms?

Symptoms can include:

shortness of breath
chest pain
heart palpitations
fatigue

The severity of symptoms can vary, but if you experience them or if you have a family history of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or sudden cardiac death, it may be a good idea to speak to your doctor about whether you have this condition.

For some people, symptoms can get worse and new symptoms can appear over time, resulting in people dealing with harsher effects and a diminished ability to do the activities they love. This decrease in functions can be one of the most challenging aspects of the disease. Keeping your health care team aware of any new or changing symptoms allows them to work with you to develop a plan to manage these symptoms and reduce their impact.

How is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy diagnosed?

Medical history, family history, a physical exam and diagnostic test results all factor into a diagnosis. A common diagnostic test is an echocardiogram that assesses the thickness of the heart muscle and observes blood flow from the heart.

If anyone in your family has been diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, other heart diseases or has been told they had thick heart walls, you should share that information with your doctor and discuss the need for genetic testing. Because this condition is hereditary, first-degree relatives, which include siblings and parents, should be checked.

Learn more at heart.org/HCMStudentAthlete.

Illinois volleyball player captures second Olympic medal

PARIS - Jordyn Poulter, an Illinois volleyball alum, has done it again, bringing home her second Olympic medal after helping Team USA secure silver at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Poulter, an All-American during her time with the Fighting Illini, now stands alone as the only alum to have earned multiple Olympic medals.

The journey to silver was marked by Poulter’s leadership as the starting setter, a role she also filled during Team USA’s historic gold medal run at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. That victory was a first for the program, with fellow Illini alum Michelle Bartsch-Hackley by her side and Erin Virtue contributing from the coaching staff, a role Virtue reprised in Paris.

In the gold medal match against Italy, Poulter’s 25 assists and five digs showcased her relentless effort, even as Team USA fell in straight sets (25-18, 25-20, 25-17). Throughout the tournament, Poulter started all six matches, guiding the squad to a 4-2 record with wins over powerhouses like Serbia, France, and Brazil.

This silver marks the fifth consecutive Olympic medal for Team USA women’s volleyball, continuing a streak that began with the 2008 Beijing Games. Notably, that 2008 squad included Illinois alum Jen Tamas (formerly Joines), a connection that highlights the Illini legacy within USA Volleyball. With seven overall Olympic medals, Team USA continues to hold the record for the most by any country in women’s indoor volleyball.

Iced out: Artist Christopher Reme's designs from the future

Artist Christopher Reme poses in booth at the Crystal Lake Park Art Fair last month. His unique, afrofuturistic graphic designs are characters he creates not only visually, but also each with their own personality and legend.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

URBANA - Christopher Reme remembers starting to draw when he was around six years old. Unable to stay quiet during church services, his grandmother handed him paper and pens to keep him occupied during sermons. It was not long after he became obsessed with art. Influenced by comic books and cartoons, his technical ability improved to the point that he could enroll at the Art Institute in Chicago.

After two years, he left the program to continue his art education along a self-directed path. Eventually, he pursued other interests, putting art on hold. Nearly 15 years later, he rediscovered his passion and talent.

One of the many characters created by Christopher Reme. The Champaign native creates designs featuring characters and creatures doing everyday things. For every demon, warlord, or mutant he has created, each has an elaborate backstory.

Illustration provided

"When I first started doing this, I didn't expect anybody to like it or care about it," Reme said from behind a table in his booth at the Crystal Lake Park Art Fair on August 3. "I would draw while at work or school and be like that's nice. That's cool. But that was as far as it went."

That was until his wife Sara convinced him to take the next step.

"You're good at this," she told him three years ago. "We're doing a show."

Reme only had four pieces ready for his first show at the annual Boneyard Festival. He was taken by surprise with the initial reception to his work at his very first show.

"People showed up and they were like, 'Hey, this is awesome' and 'this is nice'," he said recounting the experience. It was then he learned his style and vision had a name, Afrofuturism.

"All of my characters have a back story and a whole lore with them," Reme said. "None of them are heroes, and none of them are villains. They're just people and creatures doing stuff because they have to."

Many of the festival-goers Reme spoke with at the Boneyard Festival compared his work to that of a University of Illinois professor.

"People kept coming up and asking, do you know Stacey Robinson? And we're like, no."

Robinson, an Associate Professor of Graphic Design at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is known for his multimedia work through collages, motion graphics, and illustrations featuring Black people in the futuristic, sometimes fantasy world. He eventually met Robinson and said the two exchange tips and discuss their work regularly.

Reme's creative process is simple.

"I just pick up the pen and the table and go at it," he said. "It creates itself. I'm just a vessel it flows through."

Reme plans to release a graphic novel or book by the end of the year. View his artwork and portfolio at www.theicedoutnomadstudios.com. See additional designs at https://www.artstation.com/christopherreme.

Sims-Fletcher joins the Illini gymnastics program

CHAMPAIGN - Illinois women's gymnastics program appointed Aja Sims-Fletcher as an assistant coach. The announcement of the staff addition came Thursday from Fighting Illini head coach Nadalie Walsh.

"From the very first conversation in the hiring process, it was immediately apparent to me that she is a woman of positivity, gratitude, resilience, and excellence," Walsh said yesterday in a statement. "I believe she will connect incredibly well with the student-athletes and will help us continue to cultivate a champion-minded team."

Aja Sims-Fletcher joins the Illinois women's gymnastics program this fall.

Photo provided

Sims-Fletcher joins the Illinois program after serving one year as the first head coach of Talladega College’s women’s gymnastics team. She is the second individual in the history of HBCU athletics to coach gymnastics. In February, the Tornadoes became the first HBCU program to win an NCAA-sanctioned meet, defeating the University of Alaska Anchorage and host Centenary.

Despite Talladega's success, last month Interim president Dr. Walter M. Kimbrough announced the private school's gymnastics program would close two weeks later citing the lack of financial resources to continue.

A standout gymnast at Alabama, Sims-Fletcher holds a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and exercise science, as well as an MBA from the University of Alabama.

She is excited to join the Illini program and looks forward to helping continue the team's success on the national stage.

"I'm honored to join the University of Illinois gymnastics program," said Sims-Fletcher. The Orlando, Fla., native has coached at various levels, including high school, club, and college. She was a volunteer assistant coach at her alma mater. "The passion and dedication of the athletes, coaches, and the entire Illini community are truly inspiring. I am excited to work with the team and contribute to our collective goal of achieving excellence, in and out of the gym. This program has a proud tradition of success, and I look forward to starting this new chapter with this amazing team!"