I am dedicating my very first Courage Classic bicycle tour with the Cardiac Climbers for kids like Piper: inspiring heart warriors who show courage every single day, and in support of the caregivers who make stories like hers possible.
Piper's heart journey story:
"On February 18, 2026, Piper suffered a cardiac arrest while at school. The quick response of the school staff, the School Resource Officer, CPR, and an AED saved her life. She was then taken to the local emergency room where she required two separate rounds of CPR and two more shocks from the AED before being flown to Children's Hospital in Aurora, CO. They placed her on an ECMO machine and a breathing tube while determining the cause of the cardiac arrest.
Piper experienced intermittent syncopal episodes over several years but tests revealed a healthy heart, suggesting her medications and dehydration might be the cause. Up until this day, Piper recovered normally and seemed tired after her syncope episodes but never experienced a cardiac arrest.
At the time, the cause of the cardiac arrest was unknown. Since scans of her heart showed no structural issues, the cardiac staff at Children's Hospital suggested running a genetic test to determine or rule out genetic causes. The tests confirmed she has Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia (CPVT), a rare, inherited genetic arrhythmia syndrome causing exercise- or stress-induced, fast, irregular heartbeats (ventricular tachycardia) in children and young adults with structurally normal hearts. It often leads to fainting (syncope) or sudden cardiac death if untreated. Piper's case is de novo, as her parents do not carry the genes for the syndrome.
Piper is a true miracle and her story is equally miraculous. She had the right people around her ensuring that life-saving assistance was given immediately that day; consequently, she sustained no permanent damage to any of her organs or her brain. Piper spent 17 days at Children's Hospital while she recovered. During this time, she had an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) installed in her heart, received antiarrhythmic medication, and was eventually released with a clean bill of health. Unfortunately, a month later, she needed a second surgery to fix a lead in her ICD. However, this was a quick overnight stay and she was back to feeling like herself again in no time.
The staff at Children's Hospital is an incredible group of people and we are very thankful to have an answer for the issues Piper experienced in the past several years. Piper is also happy to share her story with others who may be experiencing symptoms like hers so they can seek out treatment and answers before they lead to a situation like hers. Piper feels better than she has in years, is back to school, and is ready to live everyday of her life unafraid."
Thank you for helping support children like Piper get the world-class care, hope, and healing they deserve!
