Dear Family and Friends:

Once again we are sponsoring a climber to help raise funds for The Sudden Arrhythmia Syndromes (SADS) Foundation.  For the fourth year in a row, these brave climbers will ascend to the top of Mt. Rainier, which is a 14,000 foot peak in the State of Washington, the top 4,000 of which is a glacier.  Like us, these individuals have been touched one way or another with LQTS.  Thanks to your generosity, in 2009 we raised over $6,000.  It is our goal to continue to help raise funds on behalf of our amazing daughter Annie. 

As most of you know, Annie was diagnosed with LQTS1 on January 12, 2006, at the age of 10, after having a syncope (fainting episode) in a swimming pool.  LQTS1 is a rare but serious genetic heart arrhythmia that has been passed down from Cathy, who like Annie never knew she had it until Annie was diagnosed.  Since then, we learned that Aunt Beth, Aunt Megan and cousin Reese also have this condition.  This condition results in the deaths of over 4,000 people each year, many of whom are children like Annie who die never knowing they had the condition.  As families learn the warning signs of SADS and where to receive medical care and support, many of these deaths can be prevented.  There is no cure for this condition today.  With the help of a daily beta blocker, and life style management (i.e. no sports, or exercising that may cause an arrhythmia), Annie is able to live a somewhat restricted, but healthy, and happy life. 

Through the SADS Foundation, Cathy and I were able to get further awareness, education, and meet a network of families like ours who have LQTS.  The SADS Foundation exists to save the lives and support the families of children and young adults who are genetically predisposed to sudden death due to heart rhythm abnormalities. Currently, more than 700,000 men, women, and children, nearly .3% of the U.S. population, live with hereditary heart rhythm abnormalities.  Since 1992, the SADS Foundation has educated, supported and advocated on behalf of children and their families. 

In the past year, with the help of your donations SADS was able to increase its capability to provide outreach and support to more affected patients and families. The Foundation is growing quickly, using all available resources.  In 2009, the SADS website attracted more than 1.29 million hits (up from 135,000 the previous year).  This, coupled with efforts to expand knowledge of the SADS Foundation using social network avenues (more than 8,200 SADS Facebook cause members and growing) is encouraging and exciting.  This direct personal contact is extremely valuable in allaying fears and providing tangible support to help these children and parents live and thrive despite their cardiac conditions.

The Foundation has made excellent progress, but more needs to be done!  The SADS Foundation hears from newly diagnosed families every day.  They learn of the untimely deaths of children each week.  Thousands of children remain undiagnosed and untreated each year.  Additional financial support is needed to expand the life-saving programs of the SADS Foundation.

……

Cathy and my goal is one day there will be zero annual deaths due to this condition and a cure for those who have it.  To help bring that day closer to reality, we please ask you to join us in contributing to the important work the SADS Foundation does in the name of Annie, so that together we can save lives.       

Thank you and God Bless, 

Anthony, Cathy, Annie, Chloe and Anthony Lucatuorto

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