Two Open-Heart Surgeries. One Pacemaker. A Lifetime of Reasons to Fight for Heart Health.
Some causes are personal. This one touches my heart, literally.
I was born with a hole between my right and left atrium, and by age 9, an abnormality in my mitral valve was severely restricting blood flow to the rest of my body. At 13, I underwent my first open-heart surgery at Miami Children's Hospital, now Nicklaus Children's Hospital. Dr. Redmond Burke and his incredible team repaired my valve, closed the hole, and gave me the opportunity to grow up and live the life I have today. My parents were warned that I would likely need another surgery someday. We just hoped that day was a long way off.
More than 21 years later, in the middle of preparing for my wedding, that possibility became reality. Just two weeks before marrying my husband, Dan, I learned that another obstruction was restricting blood flow out of my heart. In June 2026, at 35 years old, I underwent my second open-heart surgery. What was expected to be a four-to-six-hour procedure lasted nearly 11 hours, and an already challenging recovery brought another unexpected turn: I needed a permanent pacemaker.
It wasn't the beginning to married life either of us had imagined, but I am incredibly grateful to be on the other side of surgery and looking ahead to our future.
My experience has given me a profound appreciation for how far cardiovascular care has come and for the research, expertise, and advances that make better outcomes possible. I know firsthand that behind every medical breakthrough there are people working tirelessly to give patients more time, options, and life.
That's why I'm raising money for the American Heart Association's Leaders of Impact campaign. I want to help support the research, education, advocacy, and access to care that can change lives for people living with congenital heart disease and other cardiovascular conditions. I hope I never need a third open-heart surgery, and I hope future generations of patients have even better options than I did.
This February, I'll be honored at the Miami Heart Ball, chaired by my dear family friend, Dr. Pascal Goldschmidt. For me, it will be more than an evening celebrating an important cause. It will be a celebration of life, resilience, and the people and progress that helped me get here.
My story is one of many, but I hope we can help make the stories that follow a little less difficult. If you're able, please consider making a donation through this page. Every gift helps advance the American Heart Association's mission and build a healthier future for all.
My fundraising campaign runs through November 4, 2026, at 9:00 p.m.
And if you'd like to celebrate with me in person, I'd love to see you at the Miami Heart Ball. Ticket sales will be live soon, but if you're interested, please reach out to me and let me know!
Miami Heart Ball
February 20, 2027 | 6:00 p.m.
Fontainebleau Miami Beach
4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33140
Thank you for being part of this journey and helping turn my personal experience into hope for others.
