Why do I walk? I walk for my nieces.

My niece Piper was born sleeping in 2018 due to Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome. 

I walk for my niece Isabelle. Isabelle has struggled with progressive heart failure her whole life. On Christmas evening 2020, she was admitted to the CVICU when her body was unable to compensate anymore. Isabelle was placed on the heart transplant list in early January. She turned 5 on February 15th, but was continuing to decline. She was started on her first round of ECMO the day after her birthday. She continued to struggle and had to be placed on a bilateral ventricular assist device (Bivad) in February. She went through a second round of ECMO in March (9 days) and was finally able to be extubated in April after 60 days. On May 7th, after 140 days in the hospital, she received a match. Her heart transplant was successful and she was discharged home on June 3rd, 2021. She continues to work on regaining her strength so she can walk, but she is smiling again :)