At just 16 years old, Pennsylvania high school student Francesca is a rare heart condition advocate. She’s independently partnering with mega jewelry store, Kendra Scott, to raise awareness and funds for the SADS Foundation.
“I love their jewelry and how it makes me feel. I thought, why not help people feel good while helping others?” she says. “When I was in their store, I saw a sign that said, ‘Let’s do good together.’” Francesca is doing just that while raising awareness.
Genetic heart rhythm conditions are considered rare, but experts speculate they’re likely more common than we know due to the difficulty in diagnosis. That sentiment rings true for Francesca and her mom, Sarah, who says, “There were 40 kids in her grade, and another student had the same issue and had the same procedure just before Francesca. It was comforting for Francesca to have a peer to talk to.”
Francesca was diagnosed with Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) at 12 years old, but it took four long years before she received a diagnosis. She would tell her mom, “I feel sugary.” That was an 8-year-old’s way of saying she was jittery. Francesca had symptoms several times a year, typically lasting 5 to 7 hours. Her symptoms included a racing heart during exercise in PE. Sarah explains, “That prompted the school to sound alarm bells because they wanted her diagnosed and treated.” Sarah wanted that too, but it was easier said than done.
Francesca was also experiencing a racing heartbeat while just hanging out at home. “I would ask my friends, do you ever get this? They would say, no, I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she says. There were unwelcome surprises along the way for Francesca. “I had no idea your heart could go 250 beats per minute and then go back to normal in seconds,” she says.
“I had no idea your heart could go 250 beats per minute and then go back to normal in seconds.”
From Sarah’s perspective, the worry worsened when Francesca was away from home doing normal young kid activities. “It was very unnerving not knowing what it was and not being able to put a name to it,”
she says. “When she would go on sleepovers, I would have to tell the parents, if she says she’s sugary, please call me.”
For the first few years, the episodes were infrequent, every 5 months or so; then they started happening more frequently. “We were looking for a diagnosis and got a handheld monitor [remote EKG device] and were able to capture an episode in real time, which prompted the diagnosis,” says Sarah. These episodes were frightening for Francesca and her family – especially when the last episode kicked things into motion.
“In most cases, we were able to get her heart rate down at home by turning her upside down or putting cold cloths on her, hanging her by the feet, or having her do a hand stand, but there was one time we couldn’t get it down so we had to take her to the ER in the middle of the night and they had to medicate her,” she says. “Shortly after that we were bumped up on the schedule for the [ablation] surgery.”
The ablation has made a huge difference in Francesca’s life. “Since getting the ablation, I started track, field hockey, and squash for the first time this past year. I love it,” she says. “It’s really fun to do it without worrying about getting an episode or being monitored. It’s fun being a part of the sports and just to be a member of the team and not feel like a liability.”
“I know what it’s like to be afraid to do simple things in case of an episode happening. I don’t want other kids to feel like that.”
In a full circle moment, Francesca recently shadowed her electrophysiologist, Dr. Gaurav Arora, who diagnosed and treated her. At 16, she’s interested in a career in electrophysiology. “I know what it’s like to be afraid to do simple things in case of an episode happening, like going on roller coasters, participating in gym classand sports and other activities that a young person should not have to worry
about,” she says. “I don’t want other kids to feel like that.”
It’s Francesca’s mission to help kids just like her – and you can too. Any shopper can simply shop on the regular Kendra Scott website and use the code GIVEBACK-JRYMT (in the coupon code section) upon checking out online.