Waco Go Red Event Raising Awareness for Heart Diseases like HCM

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a type of heart disease in which the heart muscle thickens without an obvious cause, making it harder for the heart to pump blood. HCM can result in chest pain, breathlessness, and fainting and may increase the chance of sudden cardiac death. But why is this important?

With the Waco Go Red event for the American Heart Association coming up in February, on today’s episode of “I Don’t Care”, host Kevin Stevenson speaks with King McClure about the Waco Go Red event, raising awareness for heart disease, and his own experience having HCM.

McClure, who was diagnosed with HCM in his first week of college, had a lot to think about heading into his first season at Baylor, after being told he needed to quit playing to save his life. As an athlete, McClure was lucky that his HCM was diagnosed. However, his journey sparked an interest and advocacy for more research on the matter, particularly for women with the condition, who often display no symptoms.

“It is important for women to get their hearts checked out, take care of their bodies, and examine themselves, especially when that could be the case,” said McClure.

Stevenson and King also spoke about…

● McClure’s individual journey navigating the sport he loves while being mindful of his heart limitations

● How HCM changed McClure’s perception of life and career options

● Why advocating for research on HCM can help save women’s lives

“I played sports my whole life and all you really hear about is heart disease when it comes to men, when it comes to males, and how it affects them…it is scary that they [women] have no symptoms…” said McClure.

McClure is a College Basketball Analyst with ESPN. He is a graduate of Baylor University with a degree in Health Kinesiology, where he played basketball at the DI level, making 60 starts over his four-year basketball career and playing in 129 games for the Bears.