Dear Family and Friends,
Thank you for visiting my fundraising page! The SADS Foundation, is hosting the 2nd Annual Mount Rainier "Climb to Conquer SADS" Event on July 9-12, 2008, with the goal of raising $100,000 to bring education and awareness to the general public.
WHO: The Climb Event is the brainchild of Dr. Chris Anderson, Pediatric Cardiologist from Spokane. Rich Bennett, Mountaineer and Climb Leader will lead a team of 12 climbers to the summit of Mount Rainier on July 11th. World famous mountain climber, John Roskelley, will lead a second team of SADS climbers on a private climb to the summit.
WHY: I am personally raising money as a tribute to my son Jesse, who died on May 21, 2003 at the age of 21 due to a heart arrhythmia that caused sudden cardiac arrest and his unexpected, sudden death. In 1999 Jesse had a routine sports physical in order to try out for Juanita High School Track & Field. The doc noticed an irregular heartbeat and sent us to a Kirkland Cardiologist. He was misdiagnosed and we were told that heart arrhythmias are "common and not life threatening". We now know that arrhythmia conditions such as Long QT Syndrome can be fatal, unless they are properly diagnosed and treated.
Coincidentally, Jess Roskelly, on May 21, 2003, at the age of 21, was the youngest person to summit Mount Everest on an expedition with his father, John Roskelley. John has donated much of his time to SADS and we thank him very much for speaking at REI Events and leading a team to Mount Rainier. I feel very connected to The Roskelley's because of both Jesse's. What an amazing story!
Each year, Sudden Death in the Young, takes 3,976 lives of people under the age of 35, many of them children. Death from SADS related conditions take 3 times as many kids lives as childhood leukemia, yet most people have never heard of S.A.D.S. and many physicians do not know how to properly diagnose it. It is our family's wish that through education & awareness, other families will be spared the worst kind of loss a parent can go through---the death of a child.
WHAT WE DO: The SADS Foundation exists to "save the lives of young people who die suddenly and unexpectedly due to cardiac arrhythmias". SADS efforts are to: 1) Provide information and support to patients and families; 2) Educate the general public about SADS conditions, warning signs, and CPR/AED use; 3) Reach out to physicians, nurses, athletic coaches and teachers to encourage early diagnosis and screening; 4) Advocate for medical research in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of Long QT and other cardiac arrhythmias.
For those of who you are donating for the first time, thank you so very much!
For those of you who donated to The SADS Foundation last year, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I can assure you that every dollar was spent wisely. The SADS Board and staff are passionate about helping families, and are good stewards of the funds to fulfill our mission. Lives are being saved because of you! Special kudo's to my sister Patty Nolan, The Greenwood Market in Seattle, Judy, Jan, Dora, Brent, Bonnie, Stephie, Suzanne, The Hope Heart Institute, Jesse's friends, Jesse's cousins, Jesse's aunts and uncles and other family & friends who give us your continual support. As Jesse would say "You Rock!".
If you cannot make a donation, we understand. Please spread the word about the SADS Foundation and the fact that cardiac arrhythmias can be deadly to young people under the age of 35.
Please log on to: www.sads.org for last years photos and more information about 2007-2008 programs.
Nancy