Little Heart, Big Impact | A Lifesaving New Heart for Shaun

"Just to see him grow. That is what we want to see. And for him to be able to have that second chance at life." - Shaun's Dad
After spending more than 7 months in the cardiothoracic intensive care unit (CTICU) at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Shaun's parents finally got the news they thought might never come. Their baby was going to get his second chance at life. A new heart. An early morning phone call from their son's cardiac care team started the whirlwind day that would end with their baby's life forever changed.
Diagnosed with an enlarged heart when he was just an infant, Shaun was rushed from his hometown of Cleveland to Nationwide Children’s here in Columbus where doctors were able to implant a Berlin Heart, a ventricular assist device (VAD), which is a small, external pump that does the work of the heart and maintains blood flow in children whose heart may be too weak to work on its own. The device is a temporary solution used to allow time for a donor heart to be found. It also allows kids like Shaun the opportunity to live as normal of a life as possible while waiting for their new heart. And that's what Shaun had been doing in the CTICU while he waited for his new heart - living. It's where he learned to walk and say his first words and made new friends. While Shaun's sweet smile hasn't changed, his daily routine certainly has. Instead of waking up in a hospital room every day, he's home with his mom and dad. And instead of walking the hospital hallways to wave to his favorite nurses, he's going to the park to play. Learn more about Shaun's journey: bit.ly/3yWlzfB
Connect with a specialist: bit.ly/3dHeZcj
Our Heart Transplant Program: bit.ly/3yLDQvy
Inside the Heart Center at Nationwide Children's: bit.ly/3X87x43
The Heart Transplant Journey | Meet Dr. Deip Nandi, Transplant Cardiologist: bit.ly/456U0LU

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