RBR Presentation on Mandatory Cardiac Screenings, Concussion Tests

The Matthew J. Morahan III Health Assessment Center for Athletes at Barnabas Health will present a special program for high school students and parents entitled on Tuesday at Red Bank Regional High School auditorium.

Registration for the program, A Night of Playing it Safe, begins at 6:30 p.m. and the the discussion will begin at 7 p.m.

Topics of discussion will include cardiac screenings, warning signs and assessment, as well as concussion assessment, including baseline testing and when it is safe to return to play.

Two RBR students, Riyadh’na Farrow and Albert Martin, both died of natural causes this school year. Martin died while playing basketball at the school.

Barnabas Health (out of Monmouth Medical Center) will make free cardiac screenings available to all RBR fall athletes at the school during the week of Aug. 12. The Matthew J. Morahan III Health Center will be returning to RBR during the year to give free screenings to all RBR students, including winter and spring athletes.

RBR students and parents as well as those in our sending school districts are encouraged to attend the program, which will feature US Olympian Joetta Clark Diggs as its special guest speaker.

Diggs will be joined by health care professionals, Dr. Loyda Rivera, Pediatric Cardiologist at Barnabas Health; John Gallucci, Jr. MS, ATC, PT, DPT—President/Founder, JAG Physical Therapy and Medical Coordinator, Major League Soccer; Diana Toto, MS, Exercise Physiologist, Program Coordinator, Matthew J. Morahan III Health Assessment Center for Athletes at Barnabas Health.

RBR Superintendent Jim Stefankiewicz said the school is "encouraged" to be part of the program.

"As the community is aware, RBR suffered a double tragedy last year losing two students to health-related issues," Stefankiewicz said. "We hope this service will give our students and parents additional comfort as they begin a new school year."