Loma Linda University Children's Hospital news CBS television program spotlights ChildrenÕs Hospital and special baby Japanese girl receives new heart at ChildrenÕs Hospital Martin Luther King III will address clergy conference at LLUCH August 27, 1998 [TODAY, August 27, 1998] CBS television program spotlights ChildrenÕs Hospital and special baby   Baby Hannah   The CBS television show, ÒPublic Eye,Ó which features host Bryant Gumble, devoted a segment of its July 8 show to documenting the story of Baby Hannah Grinnan. Baby Hannah was diagnosed with hyperplastic left heart syndrome while in utero and was delivered and successfully transplanted at Loma Linda ChildrenÕs Hospital in April of this year. The Grinnan family, from Tucson, Arizona, made the move to Loma Linda after finding out about their daughterÕs condition while Cathy Grinnan, HannahÕs mother, was still pregnant. Baby Hannah is the youngest of their seven children. According to Mrs. Grinnan, it was her grandfather from Ontario, California, who, upon learning of his great-granddaughterÕs life-threatening condition, came to LLUMC and started the Òwheels turningÓ to enable Baby Hannah to eventually get a new heart. Thirteen years ago, the Grinnans lost their third child, a boy named Brien, to hyperplastic left heart syndrome. Back then their options were limited and the baby passed away. Though it is extremely rare for this condition to strike one family twice, the Grinnans vowed to give their child every chance this time. CBS learned of the story before Hannah was born and documented it from her birth to her transplantation, the rejection crisis, and then her happy homecoming. Baby HannahÕs donor, a baby boy who was stillborn, and his family were featured in the program as well. Hannah and her family will continue to stay in the Loma Linda area for a few more months until Hannah is given the Òall clearÓ sign from her doctors, at which time the Grinnans will head home to Tucson. [Top of page] Japanese girl receives new heart at ChildrenÕs Hospital   Five-year-old Honami Yamakida received a new heart at Loma Linda University ChildrenÕs Hospital on July 30. The local Japanese Seventh-day Adventist Church has been instrumental in making Honami and her parents feel at home.   Five-year-old Honami Yamakida arrived in the United States in early July. Unfortunately her first trip to sunny California was not for a typical holiday. Little Honami was born with a heart condition called tetralogy of fellotÑa serious condition that has caused her heart to continually weaken over time. Though multiple attempts were made to correct her condition in Japan, none of them proved to be the solution and her heart continued to fail. In Japan, heart transplants for children are not done. HonamiÕs parents knew that in order for her to have a chance at survival they would have to leave their home and come to America. Loma LindaÕs reputation for childrenÕs organ transplants offered them hope. Honami and her parents journeyed to Los Angeles from Osaka, Japan, with a team of physicians accompanying them on the flight. Honami was immediately taken to the ChildrenÕs Hospital and the wait for a new heart began. Her parents have been staying at the Ronald McDonald house and taking turns being with her so that at least one parent is always with her. The local Japanese Seventh-day Adventist Church has been instrumental in making the Yamakidas feel as much at home as possible by providing Japanese meals and friendship. A Japanese researcher has served as a translator for the young family. On July 30, HonamiÕs life took a huge turn for the best when a new heart was found and finally transplanted. The heart became available from a child who died in a motor vehicle accident. Other than a small rejection episode over the past weekend, Honami has been continually improving and is expected to be discharged from the hospital soon. She and her parents will remain in the Loma Linda area for four to six months in order for her doctors to closely monitor her recovery. After that time, the Yamakidas will travel home to Osaka. This television news crew traveled from Osaka, Japan, in early July to document the story of little Honami Yamakida, a 5-year-old girl desperately in need of a heart transplant. Toyozo and Rie Yamakida, along with the news crew and two physicians, brought their only daughter to Loma Linda with the hopes that she would receive a life-saving transplant. The news crew stayed with Honami for a week as she waited for a heart to become available and returned to Loma Linda again on July 30, the day Honami received her new heart. The crew has been working with the family for some time to raise money for HonamiÕs transplant. With their documentary of HonamiÕs journey, they hope to increase organ donor awareness and make people in Japan aware that heart transplants can be successful. [Top of page] Martin Luther King III will address clergy conference at LLUCH Martin Luther King III will be the keynote speaker for the fourth annual Clergy Caregiver Conference sponsored by Loma Linda University ChildrenÕs Hospital and Service Corporation International. Mr. King will relate to child caregivers the story of how he and his family coped with the loss of his father, Martin Luther King, Jr. The theme of this yearÕs conference is ÒWhen a Parent Dies: Supporting the Children.Ó Mr. King will discuss how caregivers, community members and clergy stood by his family with guidance and care following his fatherÕs assassination, an event that has qualified Mr. King to assist caregivers working with children who have lost parents. The conference will be held in the University Church of Seventh-day Adventists on Tuesday, October 13, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The fee is $30 ($75 for continuing education credit). Please call (800) 558-6297 for further information. [Top of page][TODAY, August 27, 1998][News and media page] University | Medical_Center | LLU&MC_home | Search_&_index | News_&_events | Employment | Contact | Our_mission All contents copyright © 2001 Loma Linda University. All rights reserved. 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