Kassidy Sechler is still fighting
Published 12:00 am Saturday, March 2, 2024
Kassidy and her favorite nurse, Dani
Golf Coach Jeremy Boice with Kas Sechler and Coach Kurt Culbert at the State Championship
Kassidy leaving the hospital after her longest stay. From left are Stirling McDavid, who is a nurse practitioner, Krista Allshouse and Devon Atwood who are both physician assistants.
Kassidy and her pastor, Marty Payton from Charity Baptist, after her first ablation.
PA Caylin Iannotta posing with Kassidy Sechler and PA Diamond Russos to celebrate heart month.
8th Annual Love Thy Neighbor fundraiser will support her on March 16
It didn’t take long for those organizing the 2024 Love Thy Neighbor to adopt Kassidy Sechler as the recipient of proceeds. One of the largest fundraisers in the county will support the young athlete’s continuing quest to stay ahead of a worsening heart condition, first confirmed in 2021. CPR saved her life after cardiac arrest ahead of a life flight to Brenner Children’s Hospital, followed by five days in a coma as part of an 11-day hospital stay. While she made some early progress, Kassidy still had to stop playing softball but was able to focus on golf through last summer. Her condition has deteriorated since.
Kassidy, a member of Rowan County’s 2019 World Series Championship softball team, had a cardiac defibrillator implanted which allowed minimal activity. She said, “I missed softball. Golf was brand new to me in mid-2022, but fun and more relaxing. It’s based on personal performance and a lot more mental. Still, it gave me a positive outlet among a great group of girls. I love to compete! But a week or two after golf season, I had more heart issues.”
An ablation was performed, one that took nine hours. The damage to Kassidy’s heart had so far been limited to the right side. The condition is called arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, a genetic condition that can produce potentially lethal cardiac arrhythmias, including those that cause sudden death in young athletes.
Early summer 2023 brought Kassidy more success on the golf course, where she was often strong enough to play 18 holes. But on July 8, her heart rate began to spike to the danger point. She was sent to the hospital and spent one week at Levine’s Children’s Hospital but was able to rejoin the golf team three weeks after her release. Kassidy played five weeks to qualify again for postseason golf.
Another ablation found the damage to Kassidy’s heart then moving to the left side too. She said, “I guess the left side wanted to join the party. There was always something new. Often the medications don’t work and there are side effects.”
Kassidy made the state golf tournament for the second year in a row, after another stint in the hospital. During Halloween week, she played on Monday and Tuesday with lots of her school friends in Pinehurst to support her. But more bad heart rhythms on hole No. 7 forced Kassidy to withdraw.
On Jan. 24, Kassidy started feeling worn out with no stamina. Driving home from church on Sunday, her body went cold, and she was overcome with dizziness, in fact she had every symptom of a heart attack. She couldn’t breathe, her worst ever, likely due to myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart. On an inflammation scale where normal is below 12, Kassidy reached 5,000.
Mom Kathy said, “We’ve been on a rollercoaster with different hospitals. No one knows what is happening with her body. We want as many eyes on it as possible.” Kassidy has been to Duke and will soon visit Johns Hopkins while her family has been in touch with doctors in the Netherlands.
Concordia Lutheran Church will host the Love Thy Neighbor fundraiser on March 16 with help from Trinity Lutheran Church and South Rowan High School. Lead organizer Jason Ritchie said, “Most people don’t live through ARVC, and the condition is found on autopsies. Kassidy always refers to ‘We.” It is a family affair for sure, but it’s much bigger than that. Doctors and the hospital staff don’t understand all of what’s happening with Kassidy, but lots of people are following her progress and praying for her to make it.” Love Thy Neighbor will help with expenses related to Kassidy’s disease.
Ritchie said, “We will raffle a 48-inch Bobcat zero turn mower while selling 200 tickets for $100 apiece. The mower is valued at $7,500. We are raffling an Echo SRM-225 weed eater and an Echo CS310-16 chainsaw. Tickets are $5 or 3 for $10. Other big raffle items are a stay at Cherry Treesort, Kannapolis Cannonballer tickets, a 3X3 barn quilt and a Yeti cooler. We will raffle some smaller items with a cake silent auction as well.”
In addition, there will be Love Thy Neighbor 5K, 10K and fun run run/walks. The 5K and 10K start at 8 a.m., with the fun run to follow. Register at Runsignup.com and Salisburyrowanrunners.org. Kassidy’s parents, Todd and Kathy, and sister, Kayla, will all participate in the 5K. For those who want Love Thy Neighbor T-shirts, go to https://dales.itemorder.com/shop/home/ and enter code NEIGHBOR.
A complete country breakfast runs from 7-11 a.m. and is by donation.
Kassidy’s heart fills with fat and doctors say hers is the most unique and different case of ARVC they have ever seen. While they keep trying to slow down the disease’s process, the likely result will be a heart transplant. Through all this, Kassidy continues her positive attitude. Most often she attends school for half days, but she’s smart and vows to keep up with her schoolwork, “I’ve never had a B in my life.” Kassidy is thinking about a career in pediatric cardiology, sometimes working in the ER. She will turn 18 in June.
When asked what keeps her going, Kassidy said, “My Bible and my community, I have peace!”
Contact Ritchie at 704-202-4975 with any questions or to donate toward medical expenses for Kassidy. Concordia Lutheran Church is at 185 Concordia Church Road. Special thanks to Atwell Volunteer Fire Department, Landis Police Department, the Starnes family (for cooking breakfast), Russell Foster (overall race trophies), the Salisbury Rowan Runners and all donors and volunteers.
