Eleanor “Ellie”

Ellie is a CHD warrior: she was born with several severe congenital heart defects. Despite 3 heart surgeries in 3 years, Ellie developed pulmonary hypertension and severe heart failure at just 4 years old. Ellie’s amazing doctors at St. Louis Children’s hospital told us a rare and risky heart and double lung transplant procedure was the only option to save her life. We listed Ellie for the transplant in August 2018, and just a month later, Ellie received her hero heart and lungs. We call it our “miracle”. Ellie is almost 6 now, and she is thriving.
There are no words to fully express the amount of gratitude we feel for Ellie’s donor family. They are the true heroes of this story, and every transplant story.