A HealthBeat Special Series

From the heart

Nearly 1 in 100 babies each year is born with a congenital heart defect. In this heart-warming series, we share the stories of Congenital Heart Center patients who refuse to be defeated.

Health Beat Special Series
Patient Story

‘You’d never know’

After little Evelyn Brummel underwent coronary bypass surgery, “It’s amazing how fast she has bounced back.”

Patient Story

‘My purpose in life’

A one-of-a-kind device transforms the life of a teen with an ailing heart.

Patient Story

Her rainbow heart baby

A prenatal ultrasound alerted Amanda Rostic to her son's medical challenges, giving her time to plan his care well before birth.

Patient Story

‘The best hope you can have’

JJ Smith’s parents moved to a new home and found new doctors—all to save their son.

Patient Story

A journey for her heart

A teenage girl from Honduras travels far from home for a highly specialized ablation procedure.

Patient Story

‘A real pioneer’

Asked if he wanted to undergo a groundbreaking surgery to rebuild his heart, 11-year-old Trent Ahlefeld said, ‘I’ll take a risk to make myself feel better.”

Patient Story

A closer look at a complex heart

Pediatric cardiologists use 3D viewing technology to plan how to re-route and replace a teenager’s blood vessel.

Patient Story

Feeling like Iron Man

At 53, Mark Lackey didn't know how much longer he would live. But then a team of experts crafted a unique fix for the hole in his heart.

Patient Story

‘His whole story has been a miracle’

Adopted from China with heart defects, Isaiah Lunsford receives a life-changing surgical fix.

Patient Story

Back in God’s country

After becoming the first person in the U.S. to get a new heart device, a Canadian Lakes woman returns to the woods she loves.