Inherited Arrhythmias Webinar Series

The Family Experience with Sudden Death

 

Click Here to Watch Webinar

This free webinar, second in a three-part series and presented on August 17, 2016, provides a family perspective of sudden death. Two healthcare providers present cases of sudden death and two patients, who experienced the sudden loss of a family member, share how they received information from their heathcare team. Family members also discuss the experiences they had throughout the different stages of their journey.

Speaker: Brynn Dechert-Crooks, MSN, CPNP, CCDS, FHRS

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Electrophysiology, University of Michigan Congenital Heart Center

Ms Dechert received her master in science of nursing at Loyola University Chicago in 2004 and has worked with pediatric arrhythmia patients since that time. In her current role at the University of Michigan, she cares for patients with sudden death conditions, children and adolescents with arrhythmias and those with pacemakers and ICDs. In addition to her clinical role, she has multiple research interests in pediatric patients with arrhythmias and sudden death conditions. Ms Dechert is a board member of the SADS foundation and is a SADS Foundation Medical Education Committee member.

Speaker: Mary Hardies, RN

Registered Nurse for Community Mental Health

Ms. Haries and her husband had 4 children, 2 boys and 2 girls. In September 2002 they lost their 13 year old son in what was initially deemed an accidental hunting accident, and December 25, 2007 their 21 year old daughter had a Torsades event, that eventually resulted in her death.  These events began a family journey with Long QT2 and genetic testing.

Speaker: Julianne Wojciak, MS, LGC

Licensed Genetic Counselor, Heart and Vascular Center, UCSF Medical Center

Julianne Wojciak coordinates the Cardiovascular Genetics Program and provides genetic counseling services for patients with hereditary heart conditions.  She assesses a patient’s medical and family history to determine the genetic nature of heart disease in the family, discusses the benefits and limitations of genetic testing and cardiovascular screening, and helps families understand and cope with the emotional and familial implications of inherited heart conditions.  She co-created Kinlist, an online resource and medical assessment tool for family members of sudden cardiac death victims.

 Julianne received her masters of science degree in genetic counseling from the University of Colorado, Health Science Center in Denver, Colorado.  Prior to coming to UCSF, Julianne counseled patients and families at risk for inherited cancer syndromes and coordinated of a variety of research studies related to hereditary cancer at UCLA.

SADS Webinar Series

For more information on the SADS Medical Education Program contact Alice Lara at 801-272-3023 or at alice@sads.org.