Christopher Lukas Junior Chairman 2009 Fairfield County Start! Heart Walk 10-year-old Fairfield resident Christopher Lukas of Fairfield has been named the Junior Chairman for the 2009 Fairfield County Start! Heart Walk. Christopher was born with a congenital heart defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome, and has undergone three surgeries to correct the problem. Today Christopher is a happy and energetic fifth-grader, and hopes to use his experiences to be a good example for other children and families dealing with heart problems. As the Junior Chairman of the Fairfield County Start! Heart Walk, Christopher hopes to inspire others as an example of what can be accomplished with the help of the American Heart Association. Christopher proves that advances in medicine and research have dramatically improved success rates and quality of life for patients of all ages. Christopher's parents, Paul and Beth Lukas, learned about Christopher's condition while she was pregnant, so a team of doctors and nurses was ready to treat him as soon as he was born. Today, Christopher participates in physical activities along with his friends and classmates, including skiing, boogie boarding, and running in gym class. Christopher feels his experiences have positively affected his life, and he never uses his condition as an excuse not to do something. He says, "I'm like any other kid, just with some cool scars."

Since 1924 the American Heart Association has helped protect people of all ages and ethnicities from the ravages of heart disease and stroke. These diseases, the Nation's No.1 and No.3 killers, claim more than 910,000 American lives a year. The association invested more than $543 million in fiscal year 2005-06 for research, professional and public education, and advocacy so people across America can live stronger, longer lives.

Thanks to all our walkers, donors and volunteers who have accepted the challenge to help fight heart disease and stroke. We cannot achieve our mission without each one of you!

For more information please contact one of your
Start! Heart Walk staff partners at (914) 640-3266
or via email at robert.grabel@heart.org