littlefoot
12-07-2009, 03:24 PM
I just organized this event for my first time!
I have always wanted to get out and share my wisdom and knowledge on HCM, and how serious this disease can be!
From age 3 and on my dad pushed me in the sport of hockey, I practiced 7 days a week, at least 5 hours each day. I also played volleyball, soccer, track and field, boxing and wrestling. I was named Female Athlete of the Year in High School at my Graduation. I was a non stop, go getting athletic girl with no health problems to have been spoken of! That is - until the summer before going away on a scholarship for hockey. I experienced HORRIBLE chest pain, dizziness, shortness of breath...I ignored it and pressed on, figuring I am too young for anything to be seriously wrong. Even a doctor told me I was fine!
So to cutt to the chase, I collapsed on the ice, and was dead for less than two minutes. I experienced sudden cardiac arrest, and was diagnosed with a disease that would change my life forever.
Now - Four years later, I want to get the word out about how ANYONE can have this disease!
So my fundraiser is set for Valentines Day in February (Heart Month was the only time I wanted to do it!). The fundraiser is called "Bench Press for Heart", and it is going to be at my local gym I attend daily, Good Life Fitness. The idea came mostly from my Fiance who is a bodybuilder and very dedicated to helping my disease in anyway!
The idea is, you raise at least $10.00 and you get three shots on how much weight you can lift on a bench press. Also, our local OHL Hockey team Windsor Spitfires has offered to come sign autographs and take pictures.
The Windsor Spitfires are so involved in my fundraiser because they have a story about HCM too. Three years ago, their Team Captain Mickey Renaud, 19 years old. TRADED to the Calgary Flames, and had a promising future collapsed and died at the dinning room table at his home.
His autopsy revealed - HCM as the cause of death.
This was only one year after this had happened to me and I really started to realize that this disease is serious! I was LUCKY to have been revived, I should have been dead like so many other young athletes.
So this is a fundraiser I want to do every year of my life. I am going to fight to save any young athlete I can from this disease. I want people to become aware of how serious this can be for ANYONE.
Anyway, I am blabbing a lot, I just wanted people to hear about my fundraiser and tell me what they thought?!
Thanks for reading
<3 Katie :)
I have always wanted to get out and share my wisdom and knowledge on HCM, and how serious this disease can be!
From age 3 and on my dad pushed me in the sport of hockey, I practiced 7 days a week, at least 5 hours each day. I also played volleyball, soccer, track and field, boxing and wrestling. I was named Female Athlete of the Year in High School at my Graduation. I was a non stop, go getting athletic girl with no health problems to have been spoken of! That is - until the summer before going away on a scholarship for hockey. I experienced HORRIBLE chest pain, dizziness, shortness of breath...I ignored it and pressed on, figuring I am too young for anything to be seriously wrong. Even a doctor told me I was fine!
So to cutt to the chase, I collapsed on the ice, and was dead for less than two minutes. I experienced sudden cardiac arrest, and was diagnosed with a disease that would change my life forever.
Now - Four years later, I want to get the word out about how ANYONE can have this disease!
So my fundraiser is set for Valentines Day in February (Heart Month was the only time I wanted to do it!). The fundraiser is called "Bench Press for Heart", and it is going to be at my local gym I attend daily, Good Life Fitness. The idea came mostly from my Fiance who is a bodybuilder and very dedicated to helping my disease in anyway!
The idea is, you raise at least $10.00 and you get three shots on how much weight you can lift on a bench press. Also, our local OHL Hockey team Windsor Spitfires has offered to come sign autographs and take pictures.
The Windsor Spitfires are so involved in my fundraiser because they have a story about HCM too. Three years ago, their Team Captain Mickey Renaud, 19 years old. TRADED to the Calgary Flames, and had a promising future collapsed and died at the dinning room table at his home.
His autopsy revealed - HCM as the cause of death.
This was only one year after this had happened to me and I really started to realize that this disease is serious! I was LUCKY to have been revived, I should have been dead like so many other young athletes.
So this is a fundraiser I want to do every year of my life. I am going to fight to save any young athlete I can from this disease. I want people to become aware of how serious this can be for ANYONE.
Anyway, I am blabbing a lot, I just wanted people to hear about my fundraiser and tell me what they thought?!
Thanks for reading
<3 Katie :)