Nearly 1 in 100 babies each year is born with a congenital heart defect. Currently up to 1.3 million adults are living with congenital heart disease. In this heart-warming series, we share the stories of Congenital Heart Center patients who refuse to be defeated.
Facing end-stage heart failure at age 19, Nick Jaenicke held on long enough to receive a donor heart—just like his brother and grandfather before him.
1.1k At age 5, a heart warrior bravely undergoes surgery for a rare congenital condition.
1.3k After childhood heart surgery, Brent Morton didn't realize he needed follow-up treatment as an adult.
488 A one-of-a-kind device transforms the life of a teen with an ailing heart.
1.2k A prenatal ultrasound alerted Amanda Rostic to her son's medical challenges, giving her time to plan his care well before birth.
336 JJ Smith’s parents moved to a new home and found new doctors—all to save their son.
410 A teenage girl from Honduras travels far from home for a highly specialized ablation procedure.
603 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.”
2.3k Pediatric cardiologists use 3D viewing technology to plan how to re-route and replace a teenager’s blood vessel.
189 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.
315 Christopher Cranson's scar reminds him of his congenital heart defect, but he's not conceding to limitations.
246 A 3D model helps a 10-year-old boy understand his unique anatomy. And it helps his doctors plan his treatment.
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