Angie Voisard, a Cleveland resident, reported that her daughter Bella has returned home after a successful heart transplant. Bella’s health deteriorated when she was two months old, as indicated by her rapid breathing. Medical tests showed that Bella’s heart was enlarged and her other organs were not functioning properly. She was then moved to Cleveland Clinic Children’s and placed under the supervision of Dr. Gerard Boyle, a pediatric cardiologist.
Bella’s condition was critical, requiring the use of an ECMO machine to support her heart and lungs. However, her heart continued to malfunction. The medical team decided to place Bella on the heart transplant list, a decision that Voisard said affected the whole family.
Six months later, Voisard was informed that a suitable donor heart was available. Dr. Boyle stated that the donor heart met all of Bella’s requirements in terms of size, age, and function. The transplant operation was successful, with the medical team replacing Bella’s old heart with the new one.