Submitted by Reba Phelps
Some would call it a labor of love but it is more akin to a labor of life. The Living4Burke Foundation visited Natchitoches Parish Saturday, Aug. 132 and screened 110 student-athletes. Their ages ranged from 11-23. Natchitoches Central High School was the venue that hosted student athletes from all Natchitoches Parish Schools including Northwestern State University. The event was made possible by many local volunteers, including nursing students from NSU.
The Living4Burke Foundation has Natchitoches roots. Kristen Cobb Simpson and Karis Cobb lost their nephew, Burke Cobb, in 2012 when it was discovered he had an undetected heart defect that could have been found with a Pediatric EKG. The foundation was formed soon after his untimely death. His family began their life’s work by advocating early EKG screening, AED machines and promoting CPR training in schools.
The Cobb family helped register students for the screening. Since the formation of the foundation, they have screened thousands of children and have been responsible for at least four early detections of the defect.
For more information on the Living4Burke Foundation visit www.Living4Burke.org.
