Anthony Bates Foundation

The Anthony Bates Foundation (ABF) believes that no parent should suffer the heartbreak of losing a child to an undiagnosed cardiac malady; we seek to eliminate preventable Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA). The organization will fulfill its mission by continuing our efforts to establish a nationwide heart screening program for youth, free of charge or low cost, thus solving a significant public health issue through screenings, education, collaboration and facilitation.

Anthony Bates Foundation - the beginning
Since Anthony's death, Sharon began promoting heart health and education through the HCMA with fundraisers and events. She held golf tournaments, solicited donations from various organizations, and found other creative ways to raise funds. By 2002, the need to launch a foundation in her son's name was necessary in our country. Hence, the birth of the Anthony Bates Foundation and the cardiac screening programs nationwide.

After learning how to successfully produce a community heart screening event, Sharon has demonstrated heart health through the FREE and Low-Cost Cardiac Screening Events in communities of Kansas, Arizona, Nevada, California, Washington, Colorado, and New York. The target has been students, athletes, and young adults between the ages of 10 and 24 years old. As of the Dec., 2023, Sharon completed over four hundred (400) heart screening events (echocardiogram and ECG testing) and provided over 18,000 echocardiogram and ECG tests for young people. The most recent large event, Dec. 9, 2023, held at Gilbert Public School in Gilbert, Arizona.

ABF has captured interesting data from their heart screenings. While proving the importance of heart exams prior to athletic activity, the ABF's results have also proven that children do have hidden heart issues. Over 14% of the people screened have an abnormal result which requires further cardiac testing. Cardiologists and research doctors in the HCM field have claimed for years that 1 in 250 people of the general population have or will develop HCM. This statistic translates to only .01% of the general population. The data at ABF is showing a much larger and more alarming number greater than 1 in 63.

The Anthony Bates Foundation is making a difference with screenings in the communities across the country. The first screening took place in Manhattan, Kansas where Anthony attended college and the second screening was in Phoenix where Anthony graduated from high school. The community involvement has had an overwhelmingly positive impact on the success of each event. Parent and student volunteers, as well as volunteer doctors, nurses, nursing students and echocardiogram technicians assist with every screening. When education and awareness are provided to communities, people want heart screenings, they want to know their child's heart health in advance. With education there is power, with power comes life.

Testimonials

Neva D., Surprise, AZ Jan. 24, 2024
Screening Date: 2/25/2023
​Hi Sharon! You helped save the life of my son when you came to Sonoran Heights Middle School in Surprise and discovered his undiagnosed cardiac condition last February. He had a successful open heart surgery this past September. Thank you for all you do!
DYSART has recently interviewed my son & I and they plan to put an article about it their Community Connect Magazine. I really hope people realize the importance of cardiac screening and how important your foundation is as well! It wasn't easy to swallow when we found out, but knowing that YOU potentially could have saved my son's life means so much! Again thank you! I'm hoping our school does another event with you soon.

Matthew H., Chandler, AZ April 23. 2022
This was a verbal testimony: Don't know if you remember me, but we did an event together a few years ago. You my sons 4 years ago in Chandler. Incidentally, you found an issue with one of the boys. When his son healed from a different surgery, I had followup done on his heart screening, only to discover his son had a serious issue with his heart that also needed surgery." Sharon you saved my son's life!" This is why we do the screenings. Anyone could be our next SAVE!

Paula W., Manhattan, KS, May 21 & 25, 2017
5/21/2017
Sharon,
Just a quick update and a huge thankyou. Last Thursday we took Reece to see a children's cardiologist at Children's Mercy. Let's just say
it was a whirl wind day. We started off with an EKG, saw the doctor, then had an echo done, saw the doctor again, went and had a stress test done, then we're sent to preadmission to have an ablation done this Wednesday. I know this is your passion in life and I want you to know how much I
appreciate what you do. Last year was my first year to volunteer when you come to Manhattan but I plan to help each year if at all possible.
Thank you again,
Paula W.

5/25/2017
Just a quick update. 'We' (our son) had the ablation done yesterday at Children's Mercy...