I would like to thank everyone for contributing to this cause throughout the years. Every penny counts towards finding a cure and helping children and adults become aware of this condition. Long QT Syndrome is just like any other disease. When many people hear of this condition they do not think of it as a deadly one. The truth is there are thousands of people, mostly children who die of this condition every year. The problem is they do not know they have it. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all work together and prevent this? If we make people everywhere more aware of it we would be saving thousands of innocent lives. Your donation to the SADS Foundation will allow this organization to create more awareness of this deadly condition.
Many of you have heard my story. I was in fourth grade and I was very active, but who is not at that age? I remember that every Friday the fourth graders went to the YMCA to swim. I remember I hated going. I was not the best swimmer in third grade, and I was put in the guppy group. I was so embarrassed! I was not looking forward to going the following year. When the day came I was overjoyed when they put me in the fish group. I wanted to show the swim teacher they did not make a mistake, so I swam extra hard that day. On one of our final laps, I started later than everyone else since I was fixing my goggles. I quickly caught up with my group, but when I got to the side I never climbed over like I thought, but fainted instead. I had what the doctors explained as an episode, and I was lucky to be alive. I was told I had a heart condition called LQTS1 and I could not play on my travel soccer team anymore. I cried for weeks. Telling a ten year old that, is like telling someone to stop breathing. It was hard for me to except the fact that I was different than everyone else. It was hard for me to watch my team move on without me. It was hard for me to watch my brother and sister play something I can only dream of doing. It was even hard to be around my friends sometimes. My problem was I looked at the glass as half empty. It took me a while to realize how blessed I truly am. For starters I am alive! I have a wonderful group of friends and family who provide tons of love and support. Today, at 14, I see the glass half full. I enjoy doing many things. I am in the National Junior Honor Society. I enjoy playing sports like badminton and golf. I hope to make the School golf team next year in ninth grade. I also enjoy playing the piano, walking my dogs, and hanging out with my friends to name a few things.
The goal of the SADS Foundation is to not only help find a cure, but to help more people become aware of this condition. This may not sound like a big deal, but it really is! I was lucky. Many people who have episodes do not make it, and like those people I was unaware I had this condition. Your donation would truly help to save lives. Thank you for your time, and your donation!
-Annie Lucatuorto <333
 

Thank you for joining our campaign to save lives by raising money to continue patient family support and SADS education programs. Several thousand young people die unnecessarily each year from SADS (Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndromes) in the United States, and education is the answer.

Funds raised through the Climb to Conquer SADS will:

 

• Provide Family Support to assist patients and their families in making informed medical decisions and living with the challenges of these conditions
• Increase General Awareness of Warning Signs to recognize and prevent heart rhythm abnormalities
• Educate Health Care Professionals in early diagnosis and treatment of heart rhythm abnormalities
• Be Advocates to increase arrhythmia research and improve the quality of life for patients and their families.

Please see the link below for more information about Climb and the SADS Foundation. Climb and the SADS Foundation Information