Dear Family and Friends:

 

As most of you know, our daughter Annie was diagnosed with LQTS1 on January 12, 2007, at the age of 10, after she fainted 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. 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 goal of the SADS Foundation includes raising awareness in the medical industry as well as the general population, which is so important to ensure that children and adults that have this condition find out they have it so they can manage it before it is too late. Providing patient and family support; research and advocacy are other important goals of this 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.   To help, please support us in sponsoring a climber at the annual “Climb to Conquer SADS” this July at Mt. Rainer.  

 

Thank you and God Bless,

 

Anthony, Cathy, Annie, Chloe, and Anthony Lucatuorto