Event Celebrates Children Born with Congenital Heart Defects Successfully Treated at Holtz Children’s

Who:

Holtz Children’s patient Jennifer Delisca and parents; families of children with congenital heart defects treated at Holtz; University of Miami Health System pediatric cardiology physicians and surgeons at Holtz Children’s

What:

Holtz Children’s Hospital at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center is hosting an event to celebrate children who were born with congenital heart defects and successfully treated at Holtz Children’s.

Former patients will share stories, play games, and celebrate their survival with their former caregivers including physicians, nurses, and social workers from the Children’s Heart Center at Holtz Children’s.

In March 2016, Jennifer Delisca appeared to have a cold. But her parents’ felt Jennifer was sick with something more serious. They brought her to Holtz Children’s for further evaluation. There, doctors determined that Jennifer had a virus that affected her heart muscle and that she would eventually need a heart transplant.

Her condition was so serious that doctors rushed Jennifer to the operating room, where they implanted a ventricular assist device (VAD) until a donor heart became available for her. At just 6 years old, Jennifer became the youngest person in Florida to be implanted with the HeartWare-branded device.

Within three months of the HVAD implantation, Jennifer and her parents received the news they had been waiting for – a heart was available. On June 27, 2016, Jennifer underwent successful heart transplant surgery at Holtz Children’s.

Since then, she remains healthy and just celebrated her 7th birthday this month.

When:

February 15, 2017, 11:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m.

Where:

Jackson Memorial Hospital
Ira C. Clark Treatment Center, Room 270
On the corner of Northwest 12th Avenue and 19th Street

Editor’s Note:

Media can park outside of DTC.

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Jackson Health System
1611 N.W. 12th Avenue Miami, FL 33136