Heart and Stroke S. Cat Sept 16/03 As many in my family have suffered from heart related diseases, I'd donate to the Heart and Sroke foundation. Grandparent, aunt, uncles, all have had heart surgery or died of a heart attack. From the time I was little, I've sat in many a waiting room with my Mom, waiting to hear how my Dad was. I never again want to sit in a waiting room, scared that my father will once more need the crash cart and the paddles to bring him back to us. To see the terrified look on my mother's face, wondering if this will be the one, the final one. To watch the long rehabilitation, as he slowly recovered from both the heart attacks and the stroke he had with them. From the time my oldest daughter was very young, she had trouble at times with breathing and her heart would pound so fast, you'd think it was coming right out of her chest, the beats well over 200 a minute. I spent many nights worrying, tiptoeing into her room, just to make sure she was breathing ok. For years, they tried in vain to find out, what was wrong. They'd have her wear heart monitors, but it would never show what was causing it. Shortly before her 18th birthday they found out she had extra pathways in her heart. I myself never want to sit in another waiting room, as my oldest daughter is undergoing heart surgery, scared something will go wrong with hers. Now thanks to advances in medical science, what would have, at one time been open heart surgery, is now done through the veins, using laser technology. So to me, contributions to this cause, furthers the research and development of treatments that have helped save the lives of those I love dearly. To spare one more person the agony I've known, of waiting in a hospital to hear if their loved one will be ok, makes it all worthwhile to me.