Los Angeles, CA — The Los Angeles Rams and Edwards Lifesciences are continuing their efforts to raise awareness and get heart valve disease Off the Sidelines. Yesterday, the two organizations teamed up to host a free heart screening for community members in the Rams' locker room at SoFi Stadium. The event featured two heart health informational sessions led by cardiologists, one-on-one screenings including blood pressure, electrocardiograms (EKG) and echocardiograms, and a guided tour of SoFi Stadium.
Rams safety Quentin Lake joined the heart health screening alongside his father, NFL Legend and former UCLA linebacker, Carnell Lake. Quentin and his father attended the first heart health informational session before Carnell participated in the screening. Carnell played 12 seasons in the NFL and was inducted into the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000.
"Sometimes you don't know what your body is dealing with, what your heart is dealing with, and for the Rams and Edwards Lifesciences to provide this opportunity for fans and community members is fantastic," said Quentin Lake. "It's amazing to bring my dad to today's screening. Many families, including my own, have been affected by heart disease and we are very thankful to use our platform to spread awareness for such a serious medical condition."
Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States – accounting for 1 of every 4 male deaths, and 1 of every 5 female deaths according to statistics from the American Heart Association. The recently published HUDDLE study that examined the prevalence of heart disease and risk factors among members of the National Football League (NFL) Alumni Association and their families showed a large percentage of the participants who suffered from heart disease or risk factors such as high blood pressure were unaware of their condition.
Edwards is the official sponsor of the Rams Legends Community to raise awareness of heart disease and make screening for heart valve failure part of the gameplan for everyone 65 and older. Sunday's event marked the fourth free heart screening event the Rams and Edwards have hosted since launching the partnership in August 2023.
"Our partnership with the Legends community is focused on bringing awareness of heart disease to the Rams community through events like today's screening, and encouraging people, especially those over 65, to take action," said Larry Wood, Edwards corporate vice president and group president of transcatheter and surgical heart valves.
