"My name is Ragan Lynch. I am a three-time open-heart surgery survivor, former state-contending track athlete, volleyball player, entrepreneur, and proud member of a very athletic family."
I know firsthand that someone can appear healthy on the outside while facing a serious heart condition on the inside.
I underwent open-heart surgeries at 6 months old, 8 years old, and again at 40 years old. During my third surgery, an echocardiogram revealed a life-threatening aortic aneurysm that was missed on a routine EKG. While my EKG appeared normal, the echocardiogram told a very different story and ultimately helped prevent a tragedy.
That experience reinforced a powerful truth: awareness and proper screening save lives.
Every 3 days, an athlete dies from Sudden Cardiac Arrest. Behind every statistic is a son, daughter, teammate, friend, and champion whose life mattered. Our hearts and prayers are with every family who has experienced such an unimaginable loss.
Athletes Have Heart exists to honor those athletes by raising awareness, promoting education, and encouraging proactive heart screenings that can identify hidden conditions before it's too late.
We encourage families to utilize resources from independent organizations such as the MCORE Foundation, whose team travels to high schools and communities providing potentially life-saving cardiac screenings for young athletes. These advanced screenings help detect heart abnormalities that may not be found during a standard sports physical.
Learn more about heart screening resources →We believe no family should lose a child, teammate, or loved one to a preventable heart condition simply because they were never given the opportunity to be screened.
Athletes Have Heart was born from my journey, but it isn't about me. It's about giving young people an opportunity to become entrepreneurs, build confidence, earn income, develop leadership skills, and help protect athletes everywhere through education and awareness.
If one conversation leads one family to seek additional testing, and one life is saved, then every bracelet shared, every story told, and every awareness effort will have been worth it.
Together, we can protect hearts, save lives, and ensure more athletes have the opportunity to pursue their dreams. 💙❤️
Ragan Lynch
Founder, Athletes Have Heart
Why We Created This Program
Every day, young athletes step onto fields, courts, tracks, and gym floors believing they're healthy. Many families believe that a yearly sports physical is enough to ensure their child is safe to play. Unfortunately, that's not always the case.
Many heart conditions that can lead to Sudden Cardiac Arrest are not detected during a standard sports physical. Additional cardiac screening may identify certain conditions, but no screening can detect every heart problem.
As a former athlete myself, I passed every physical I was ever required to take. Yet I have survived three open-heart surgeries. That experience changed my life. It also gave me a mission.
I founded Athletes Have Heart to educate families, connect communities with trusted heart-screening resources, and empower young people to become leaders while helping spread awareness.