John and Kim Wells knew their 2nd daughter would have a life faced with multiple surgeries before she was ever born. During Kim’s 22nd week of pregnancy, her baby was diagnosed with critical aortic stenosis. If the baby survived in utero, the baby’s left ventricle would not grow and she would develop hypoplastic left heart syndrome (for more information on HLHS, please visit www.americanheart.org).
At the advice of their 4 year old daughter, Madison, they named their unborn child Hannah. Hannah was immediately scheduled for surgery - before she would even be born. Through research of the American Heart Association, doctors would perform surgery on Hannah in utero. The surgery went well and Hannah was born several weeks later on August 3, 2006 and the next day, survived her second surgery.
Hannah is now a beautiful 3 ½ year old girl who has had 3 surgeries on her heart and will continue to have surgeries. But if you ever have the joy of meeting her or even seeing her smile, you know she is full of spunk and full of life. Dollars raised through events such as the Quad Cities Start! Heart Walk are ensuring we get to experience more smiles from congenital heart defect survivors like Hannah.
The American Heart Association is the largest voluntary health organization working to prevent, treat and defeat heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. These diseases, the Nation's No.1 and No.3 killers, claim more than 865,000 American lives a year. Thanks to all our walkers, donors and volunteers who have accepted the challenge to help fight heart disease and stroke. We cannot achieve our mission without each one of you!
For more information please contact one of your Quad Cities Start! Heart Walk staff partners at 563-323-4321 or via email at kate.cuellar@heart.org
