Heart screening credited with saving athlete’s life
HS student diagnosed with rare condition
- Bill Odom (left) and Bella Roeting pose at the Peyton Walker Foundation’s free heart screenings at Lower Dauphin High School Dec. 14 in Hummelstown. The event was in honor of Roeting, a Lower Dauphin High School junior who was recently diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome after attending a Peyton Walker Foundation heart screening. Photo by Zach Gleiter for PennLive
- The Peyton Walker Foundation held free heart screenings and information sessions at Lower Dauphin High School in Hummelstown on Dec. 14. Photo by Zach Gleiter for PennLive

Bill Odom (left) and Bella Roeting pose at the Peyton Walker Foundation’s free heart screenings at Lower Dauphin High School Dec. 14 in Hummelstown. The event was in honor of Roeting, a Lower Dauphin High School junior who was recently diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome after attending a Peyton Walker Foundation heart screening. Photo by Zach Gleiter for PennLive
HUMMELSTOWN — High school athlete Bella Roeting has much to be joyful for this year thanks to a routine screening that likely saved her life.
The Lower Dauphin High School junior was diagnosed in fall 2023 with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a rare congenital condition. Had she not attended a free screening sponsored by the Peyton Walker Foundation, Bella, who is on her school’s swim and softball teams, would have gone undiagnosed.
“I definitely learned don’t take anything for granted, especially these heart screenings that are free,” said Bella, 17. “If I would have talked my mom out of it, I wouldn’t have ever known.”
The Peyton Walker Foundation was founded by Cumberland County resident Julie Walker after her daughter, Peyton, a Trinity graduate, died in 2013 at age 19 of sudden cardiac arrest despite many levels of preventative action because of her genetic heart condition.
Walker created the foundation in her daughter’s name to raise awareness about the risks associated with heart conditions in young people. Today, the foundation spreads awareness about sudden cardiac arrest and saving lives through heart screenings, CPR and AED training.

The Peyton Walker Foundation held free heart screenings and information sessions at Lower Dauphin High School in Hummelstown on Dec. 14. Photo by Zach Gleiter for PennLive
Several dozen students have been identified with heart conditions over the years thanks to the screenings.
“When we find a finding like (Bella’s) it’s a huge win for us,” Walker said. “That is the essence of why we do these heart screenings.”
A year after Bella’s diagnosis and subsequent surgery, she is back to her normal routines including swimming this season and celebrated Christmas with her family, including her mother, Jill Roeting.
It was Jill who insisted her daughter sign up for the testing mostly because of family history. Jill’s sister died in 2012 from an aortic aneurysm.
At the screening, a pediatric cardiologist pulled Jill and Bella aside after testing and shared the reading for Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, which can lead to an irregular rapid heartbeat. Bella said learning of the diagnosis was shocking.
“When I got in the car it all set in and I started to cry. I was like ‘Oh, this could be serious.’ I was pretty nervous,” she said.
Calling her daughter the epitome of health, Jill said Bella had no symptoms other than asthma.
“The initial thing is the shock,” Jill said. “What is this disease and how did she get it? As a parent, what did I do wrong? You just want to hug your kid.”
As a high school athlete, Bella said her initial concern was whether or not she could continue swimming and playing softball.
“I just kind of remember thinking whatever happens, happens. The worst case scenario I wouldn’t have been able to swim. There are other things I could do,” Bella said.
Following appointments and more testing by a UPMC pediatric cardiologist, Bell was transferred to Penn State Health Children’s Health. She underwent surgery in November 2023, the day after her 16th birthday.
During surgery, Bella’s doctor discovered her condition was rarer than expected, Jill said. Typically, Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome impacts the right side of the heart, but in
Bella’s case, it was the left side.
At the surgeon’s suggestion, Bella didn’t undergo the procedure because it would have extended the surgery and involved creating a hole in her heart, Jill said. Now every August, Bella undergoes heart monitoring to check for irregularities.
The surgery sidelined Bella from school and sports for about a week and she returned to the swimming pool and participated in the Hershey Aquatic Club’s 12 Days of Swimming over holiday break. She also swims on her high school team.
In December, Bella sponsored a screening at Lower Dauphin High School. According to the Peyton Walker Foundation, three of the 160 kids screened were identified with heart conditions.
Bella’s advice for those students flagged for possible heart conditions is, “All of them have this new opportunity of life. Just give it back to other people.”
She said she and her mother plan to volunteer at a Peyton Walker screening for National Youth Heart Screening Day in February. Bella said after graduating she wants to attend college and possibly continue swimming as she majors in veterinary science to become a veterinarian.
“I definitely feel like I now have a different perspective on life,” Bella said “I don’t take anything for granted. I try and get out more now and do the little things that matter.”