Twenty four years ago, my twenty year old brother Kevin, an athlete, died suddenly in his sleep. Fourteen months later, my fifteen year old brother Timmy, also an athlete, died in his sleep. The doctors were stumped. Other than knowing it was "some kind of electrical trouble" with their hearts, they could not tell what killed them. Further, they could not tell if the same thing might happen to the rest of us.
Twenty one years later, my mother was diagnosed with "non-sustained ventricular tachycardia"--a condition where the heart beats so fast that it can no longer pump blood throughout the body, robbing the body of oxygen. In severe cases, this condition can instantly kill even the healthiest person. Doctors are convinced that this condition is what killed Kevin and Timmy.
There is no definitive diagnosis for this condition, but doctors do know that there is a strong correlation among family members. Therefore, even though we are not certain that any of us actually has tachycardia, most our family (4 siblings, 2 nephews, 1 niece) have received an implantable cardiac defibrillator. If the heart races to a deadly pace, the defibrillator should shock the heart and restore a normal rhythm.
While we are thankful for the devices, they are not without flaws. Many have been recalled and others have malfunctioned. My 18 year old nephew's defibrillator malfunctioned, and shocked him at least a dozen times before he could receive medical attention to turn it off. Even functioning defibrillators must be replaced every 5-7 years.
Last year, I competed in the Pacific Crest Half Ironman as my first annual fundraiser for the Heart Rhythm Foundation--a group dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. Thanks to help from many of you, I exceeded my goal of $10,000.
This year, I will run the New York City Marathon on November 5, 2006. This race is particularly important to me. First, since most of my family still lives in NY, they will be able to cheer me along on the sidelines. Second, I was supposed to run the NYC Marathon in 2003...but because of our family's diagnosis, I had to drop out of the race just 5 weeks before the marathon.
I am already training and am committed to running all 26.2 miles. I hope to finish the race in about 4 hours, about a 9:00 pace (but I'll be happy just to finish!).
To those of you who gave last year: THANK YOU! And I truly hope you will continue to support me and the HRF. To those of you who have not: this is your chance!
The easiest way for you to sponsor me is to donate through this site. It is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to make a contribution to our fundraising efforts. If you feel more comfortable, you can also write a check to the Heart Rhythm Foundation, and send it to 1400 K Street, Suite 500, Washington DC 20005. Please be sure to let them know that you are sponsoring me.
Thank you for visiting my fundraising site, and please feel free to forward this to anyone you think might be interested in supporting our cause!
Maggie