Who We Play For and Myelai Launch Heart Screening Program at Quest Diagnostics in Tampa as Florida Becomes First State to Require ECGs for High School Athletes

Partnership brings physician-reviewed ECG screenings to Tampa families under the Second Chance Act, with the pilot aiming to screen up to 1,000 students by late November

TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Who We Play For, a nonprofit that championed Florida's Second Chance Act, Myelai, and Unless Health today announce the launch of a cardiac screening program at Quest Diagnostics' Sheldon Road location in Tampa, giving families a fast way to complete the electrocardiogram (ECG) heart screening now required for Florida high school athletes.

The requirement is intended to identify cardiac conditions that can otherwise go undetected in young athletes. Roughly 1 in 300 young people has an undiagnosed heart condition, and sudden cardiac arrest remains the leading medical cause of death in student athletes. A standard sports physical catches as few as 10 percent of these conditions; adding an ECG raises detection to approximately 94 percent. Effective July 1, 2026, the Second Chance Act makes Florida the first state in the nation to require ECG screening for high school student-athletes, with screenings valid for two years.

For families, the new Tampa program is designed to make that additional screening simple. Appointments take approximately 10 minutes and can be booked online at Quest Diagnostics' Sheldon Road location. Each screening uses a 12-lead ECG and is reviewed by a board-certified pediatric cardiologist through Unless Health, with results provided directly to families for use in completing required athletic clearance paperwork.

The pilot aims to screen up to 1,000 students through late November, with plans to expand access across the Southeast.

The program is delivered by a coalition of partners: Who We Play For (advocacy and community outreach), Unless Health (board-certified pediatric cardiologist ECG review), Quest Diagnostics (screening locations), and Myelai (systems integration and program implementation).

"This is about making preventive heart screening simple and accessible- so every child has the opportunity to receive an ECG, regardless of where they live or what medical resources are available in their community. Our greatest hope is that Quest Diagnostics will bring this offering to every location in Florida," said Mr. Maccarone, Chairman of the Board of Directors for WWPF and father of Rafe Maccarone, who died from Sudden Cardiac Death.

"Many heart conditions that put young people at risk can be found with a simple, painless ECG, before a child ever develops symptoms. Expert interpretation is what makes that work, because it separates normal findings from the ones that need a closer look. Parents should know this is not about keeping kids from playing. It is about helping them play as safely and confidently as possible," said Dr. Bhavya Trivedi of Unless Health.

"Florida passed the first law of its kind, and a law only matters if a family can actually act on it. Our work was to map how screening would have to run across schools, clinics, labs, devices, and cardiologists, then bring each partner into that picture so a family sees one simple appointment and a clear result. What we build in Tampa is the model for every state that follows Florida's lead," said Ryan Bailey, CEO of Myelai.

What families and athletic departments need to know:

• First-time high school student-athletes in Florida must complete an ECG heart screening to participate in athletics, and the screening is valid for 2 years.
  
  
• Screenings are available now at Quest Diagnostics, Sheldon Road, Tampa, by online booking. [BOOKING LINK]
  
  
• The appointment takes about ten minutes, and every ECG is reviewed by a board-certified pediatric cardiologist.
  
  
• Results are delivered directly to families for submission with required athletic clearance forms.

About Who We Play For

Who We Play For is a national nonprofit organization working to prevent sudden cardiac death in the young. The organization provides low-cost or free ECG heart screenings, CPR training, and AED (automated external defibrillator) placement programs. Founded in memory of a teammate who died of sudden cardiac arrest, WWPF championed Florida's Second Chance Act and works with schools, athletic departments, and communities nationwide.

About Unless Health

Unless Health provides pediatric cardiologist ECG interpretation for youth cardiac screening programs, with readings performed by physicians applying criteria calibrated for adolescents rather than adult norms.

About Myelai

Myelai maps how a business actually operates, finds the one move with the most leverage, and executes it. The map stays true as the business and its market change, so what an organization learns compounds instead of resetting. Myelai is headquartered in Melbourne, Florida. myelai.io

SOURCE Myelai Inc.