BREAKING...Frankie Telfort will not play for USC

but im sure usc will let him keep his scholarship to pursue his degree and remain in the trojan family.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (hye-per-tro-fik car-dio-my-opp-ithy)

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy affects roughly one in every 500 people, according to the Mayo Clinic, and is the top cause of sudden heart-related death in people under 30 years old. Although it causes no significant health problems for many, the condition can produce dangerous problems with the heart’s rhythm.

Veteran NBA guard Cuttino Mobley retired last season after being diagnosed with the condition, which also was linked to the deaths of Boston Celtics forward Reggie Lewis, Loyola Marymount star Hank Gathers and retired Portland Trail Blazers center Kevin Duckworth. And for those who are too young to remember Hank Gathers death a while back, you’re lucky. One of the saddest and tragic deaths to occur to a college athlete in a long time. His story, coupled with the relationship Hank had with his teammate on the LMU basketball team (Bo Kimble) was something that, when Hank died, left an indelible mark on the many people who either knew, read about, or became newly aware of that season’s LMU basketball team. (Coached by none other than, Paul Westhead).

Marfan Syndrom is – more accurately defined as being an inherited/genetic disorder the connective tissue. Symptomatic problems occuring from this diagnosis is defects of the heart valves and/or aorta. HCM is still pretty much “idiopathic” in many cases. Meaning: inconclusive data or medical information to determine a “cause”. It is perhaps most famous as a leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes. The occurrence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a significant cause of sudden unexpected cardiac death in any age group and as a cause of disabling cardiac symptoms.

Depending on Frankie’s initial diagnosis review, other sources of testing can/might determine a way of possible treatment depending on whether it is of the “obstructive” or “non-obstructive” diagnosis. This might be medication (beta-blockers), or surgery (myectomy), or nothing really (non-obstructive diagnosis is sometimes the more difficult to live with, as far as “quality of life” issues are concerned. As there isn’t a conclusive (obtructive) or relevant target (in the valves or aorta) to treat. In a word, until further testing (including a HCM family-genetic test- usually a karyotype or phenotype test) is done- there might very well be a protocol of treatment that may allow Frankie to either lead a normal, incident-free life with maybe a little more ability for him to “physically” withstand the rigors of “contact” or the sometimes demanding output of labor/energy required in some jobs. Or. . .he might even see the football field again someday? Hey, it can happen. It’s been done before.

Good luck to you Frankie Telfort. With this new bit of news from your life, coupled with the news of Kenechi Udeze’s young retirement (leukemia)- it ends this day bittersweet for me. I don’t know you at all my young brother, but I’ll be sure to keep you in mind in my prayers hoping for your recovery and if it’s all possible. . . .your return to the football field.

Fight On Frankie!
Fight On Kenechi!

Trojans For Life!