Father cycling across Canada to find cure for heart condition that devastated family
Through testing, the family discovered both mother and son had arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy . It is a genetically inherited heart condition.Family of Jordan Boyd raises more than $1 million for heart disease research
“Doctors had the foresight and they saved a slide of Jackie’s heart tissue from 17 years earlier and they were able to genetically test and it came positive for ARVC. “We proceeded with my other son, and Jackie’s siblings, and we have eight out of nine eligible members in those two generations with this condition,” Hoerdt said.to create more connections.“If we can make enough noise and raise enough awareness in medical communities, eventually there will be a cure,” Hoerdt said.Lauren Kluka is a Calgarian living with ARVC. She was an elite swimmer, but her career came to an end following her diagnosis.
“I remember so vividly when diving into the pool and having a run of arrhythmias and feeling like I wasn’t going to make it to the end of the pool. I thought: ‘I need to start working harder,’ and as a result that almost killed me,” Kluka said.Part of her purpose is to reduce the stigma of heart disease, especially after discovering her daughter also has the same condition.“It’s one thing for me have to go through this; it’s a whole other level when it’s affecting my daughter.