We walk for Callen! Callen was born on Aug. 30, 2023, with a complex congenital heart defect called tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia and MAPCAs. He had his first open-heart surgery at Stead Family Children's Hospital in Iowa City on September 15, 2023, at just 16 days old, to create a mee shunt. On January 9, 2024, Callen had his second open-heart surgery combined with airway reconstruction surgery at Cincinnati Children's Hospital in Ohio.

Callen was able to spend a total of five weeks at home with his family this fall, but has spent most of his life in the hospital due to the complex nature of his heart defect and critical airway. Callen has battled through many challenges and setbacks and is on the slow path to recovery now.

Our team name, "Brave Little Battlers," comes from the meaning of Callen's name. Callen and other children with CHDs who spend lots of time in the hospital and go through numerous procedures and operations are certainly brave, and these little babies and children fight battles most of us could not imagine. We hope to increase awareness about congenital heart defects and raise money to help further the research for all forms of heart disease to help Callen and others like him.