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Troy High School’s Activist Week, Feb. 1-6, was held in honor of the late Bilal Ahmad.
Photo provided by Corewell Health
Student leaders at Troy High School learned about the lifesaving techniques in preparation for Activist Week, when they shared what they learned with their peers.
Photo provided by Corewell Health
TROY — For Troy High’s Activist Week the first week of February, student leaders were trained in lifesaving techniques through a Corewell Health program called Children’s Student Heart Check. They then shared with their peers what they learned.
The inclusion of the program was also a way to honor the memory of Bilal Ahmad, a Troy native who died of cardiac arrest while at his freshman orientation in May 2025, despite efforts by Troy faculty and Corewell staff to save him.
“He always wanted to help people, especially those who are underprivileged and don’t have access to the health care system, food and education,” said Bilal’s mother, Farah Ahmad.
“He really wanted to help them. He suffered with heart problems, and he knew the pain,” she said. “He was a kindhearted soul. He loved his school.”
After being invited to a heart-screening program at the high school in November 2025, held in honor of Bilal, his family connected with Jen Shea, manager of Corewell Health Children’s Student Heart Check. Later, Troy students selected the program for their Activist Week, held Feb. 1-6, in honor of Bilal’s life. The week also coincided with his birthday, which was Feb. 3.
“It’s really important to teach each and every individual, regardless of age and background, how to save a life,” Farah said, noting this includes how to apply CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator, or AED — both lessons taught through the program. “How it can protect the heart and save a life, especially a young life — that’s beautiful, and I strongly encourage that.”
Student Heart Check provides heart screenings to those ages of 13-18, as well as educational opportunities to learn what to look for when someone might be experiencing cardiac issues and how to help them.
“They have the skills to be able to save someone’s life, but they just have to get involved and they have to practice so that they remember, when the time comes, what to do,” Shea said. “And so, the more people we have in the community that can recognize the signs of cardiac arrest, get 911 called, start those compressions, and if there’s an AED, use it, we’ll have a much better response for people that go into cardiac arrest.”
On Jan. 29, Troy High School hosted a training session with student leaders about how to apply CPR and use an AED while waiting for emergency responders. This session was done as training, so they could teach their peers during Activist Week.
“It starts with a recognition of someone needing assistance, which is often maybe one of the biggest problems when someone has a problem in the community. And so, I teach someone what to look for,” Shea said. “We’re looking for someone who is not conscious and is not breathing normally or not breathing at all. And so, kind of the mantra we say is, we’re going to call 911, we’re going to push hard and fast in the center of the chest, and we’re going to use the AED.”
The kids that participated were very enthusiastic about learning these important things.
“It was great,” Shea said. “These are such a wonderful group of kids. They’re all, you know, really wanting to make a difference in their community and in their fellow students … I was impressed with their attention, the great questions they asked, and how diligently they practiced and wanted to do it correctly, so they would be good advocates to their fellow students.”
Following this, Student Heart Check is providing a free Student Heart Check at Hazel Park High School Feb. 7. Those interested can sign up at corewellhealth.org/care-and-specialties/heart-and-vascular/student-heart-check.
Call Staff Writer Sarah Wright at (586) 498-1068.
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