'A little miracle'
Nearly 350 heart transplant babies and children have received the gift of life at Loma Linda
|
When you are living with someone else's heart, every day is a gift. Imagine the wonder of living for nearly 15 years because of the donated heart beating within your chest. Suddenly, birthdays become extraordinary milestones The first baby to receive a successful infant-to-infant heart transplant at Loma Linda University Children's Hospital 15 years ago will celebrate just such a milestone later this year. Eddie Anguiano, (also known as Baby Moses) will turn 15 in November. Eddie and other heart transplant recipients were special guests at the Seventh Annual Loma Linda University Children's Hospital Foundation Gala, "Big Hearts for Little Hearts," which recognized not only the lives of these children but also 15 years of heart transplantation at the Children's Hospital. Held Sunday, February 6, at Drayson Center, the Gala paid special tribute to the Loma Linda University Children's Hospital pediatric heart program with a reunion of more than 100 children who have received heart transplants at Loma Linda since the transplant program began in 1985. The audience sat spellbound as 130 transplant children entered the room, each carrying a red balloon in the shape of a heart. The children gathered on the stage with the man who started it all, Leonard L. Bailey, MD, professor and chair of the department of surgery, and a pioneer of infant heart transplantation. Dr. Bailey stood in the background smiling as vocalist Nina Whitaker sang "The Power of the Dream" with the children. At the close of the song, the red heart balloons floated up to the ceiling. Some of the children had a larger role to play in the program, including greeting guests and presenting awards. The children and their families came from far and wide to attend the event--guests Jack Palmer, Marisa Simpson, and Timothy Soodsma traveled from Canada. Earlier in the day, the children had gathered at Wong Kerlee International Conference Center for a reunion party. Nearly 500 parents and family members accompanied the children to the event. "We were really looking forward to this gathering," said Rene Echiverri, whose daughter, Abigail, received a heart transplant in 1991. "It's really a delight to see all the kids who've had a second chance to live." |
 | |
| Vocalist Nina Whitaker sings to the transplant recipients gathered on stage at the Gala. | ||
 | ||
| The children and their physicians gather for a group photo at a special reunion held for them before the Gala. | ||
 | ||
| Ms. Foster laughs with one of the children as they wait for the group to assemble. |
During the program, Dr. Bailey discussed each step involved in a heart transplant, from diagnosis to procurement of the donor organ. His presentation focused on a specific patient, Austin Peterson, who received a heart transplant in 1993 when he was 22 days old.
The program also featured the family of Hannah Grinnan, who shared the story of how she received a heart transplant on April 17, 1998, when she was only 11 days old. The events surrounding Hannah's birth and heart transplant were featured on ABC's "Public Eye" with Bryant Gumbel.
The parents found out 15 weeks into their pregnancy that Hannah had hypoplastic left-heart syndrome, the same malady that had taken the life of their son, Brian, 15 years earlier. Desperate to do anything possible to save Hannah's life, they traveled from Tucson, Arizona, to Loma Linda to see if a heart transplant might be the answer. It was. Hannah is now a healthy 2-year-old.
"The staff here at the hospital--they're doing God's work and we just couldn't be in a better place," Catherine Grinnan, Hannah's mom, said of the family's experience with Children's Hospital. World-renowned songwriter, producer, and composer David Foster, and his wife, Linda, served as masters of ceremonies for the Gala. Mr. Foster accompanied Ms. Whitaker in performing his song "The Power of the Dream," which has been popularized by Celine Dion.
The Fosters have a special connection to children who have received organ transplants. Their Canada-based organization, the David Foster Foundation, has assisted 137 families from British Columbia with children in need of major organ transplants. The organization is a last resort for families who have no other means of financial support for non-medical expenses when a child must be sent to Vancouver--or out of the province--for medical treatment. The assistance can range from mortgage or rent payments during the time the family is away to the cost of day care for siblings left behind while the parents are with their sick child.
As a fitting tribute to all of his work with heart transplantation, Dr. Bailey was this year's recipient of the Shirley N. Pettis Award.
Since 1985, nearly 350 babies and young children have received the gift of life because of Dr. Bailey's pioneering vision in the field of pediatric heart transplantation. The survival rate at Loma Linda of nearly 80 percent continues to lead the world.
"Itıs a thrill to see these children grow," Dr. Bailey says. "Each one is like a little miracle."
[Top]