
When I became pregnant in 2014, we were excited to become parents again, and I dreamed about my beautiful son, Tomas. It was a perfect pregnancy, I felt him grow in my belly, and his ultrasound and checkups were all perfect.
…Sonia’s story: Saving hearts a world away
When Sonia Conovaru was born in Romania in 2007 with a number of complex congenital heart defects, she was given a 10 percent chance of living 12 months. Her mom, Oana Geambasu, a young acting student, didn’t know anything about health care, but knew she wasn’t willing to accept that outcome. It was the start of a journey that would take them thousands of miles and forever change the course of their lives. …
Against all odds: Colin’s biventricular repair
Catherine and Julio Pita were already seasoned parents when they learned they were expecting their sixth child. But when an ultrasound at Catherine’s 16-week prenatal visit showed their baby had a hole in his heart, they were surprised and unprepared. …
Samuel’s heart: After four years and four surgeries, it’s the healthiest it’s ever been
When Samuel Guinn was born, his parents, Jennifer and Grant, expected at least one surprise. The couple from Jennings, Louisiana had chosen not to learn their third baby’s gender ahead of delivery. But soon after their beautiful boy’s birth, they got an unexpected surprise — he had a serious heart condition.
“Within an hour, the doctors noticed a heart murmur and transferred him to a larger hospital in Louisiana,” says Jennifer. “Once he was there, they diagnosed him with transposition of the great arteries (TGA) and a ventricular septal defect (VSD), but they couldn’t keep him stable, so they told us they wanted to send him to a bigger hospital in New Orleans.” …