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In this touching episode of "Heart to Heart with Anna," grandmother Beverly Foster shares with Anna her heart journey with her grandson, Heart Warrior Dhillon. From diagnosis through today, Dhillon's spirit remains steadfast and everyone knows exactly what he would want them to do. Thus, Beverly and her family felt the need to create a special legacy in Dhillon's name. The result? Dhillon's Gift.

Links mentioned in the program:

UNC's webpage about Dhillon's Gift
Dhillon's Heart Journey
CHOP Pediatric Cardiology Center
CHOP Single Ventricle Program
Victory Junction Summer Camp
The Gift of Life House

To contact Beverly, use [email protected]

Another "Heart to Heart with Anna" episode dealing with transplantation and protein-losing enteropathy
Another "Heart to Heart with Anna" dealing with protein-losing enteropathy

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How can a child with a complex congenital heart defect survive multiple surgeries resulting in a funky anatomy and then have a successful heart transplant experience? What was it like to be a child with a congenital heart defect in the 1970s when open-heart surgery for children was something new? Why would a Heart Warrior experience Survivor's Guilt?

Leslie Castro is a 47-year-old former single ventricle patient from Pennsylvania. She was born with tricuspid atresia, pulmonary stenosis, and multiple other heart defects, and had the Classic Fontan at the age of 12 in 1985.

Just over a year ago, she received a heart transplant. Her donor was a 29-year-old woman who was a Hepatitis C positive intravenous drug user, and Leslie had to take a case study drug to avoid contracting the virus. Leslie had a very bumpy road to recovery with multiple complications involving her brain, heart, and lungs, and required procedures after the transplant to alleviate a brain bleed and drain fluid from her lungs.

Fortunately, today Leslie is doing well and she is here to talk to us about her early life growing up with a heart defect, and how she feels as a survivor today.

Links That May Interest You:

The obituary of Leslie's beloved surgeon

The hospital where Leslie had her surgeries

Anna's Buzzsprout Affiliate Link (if you'd like to try Buzzsprout for your podcast and get a bonus gift card -- and Anna will, too!)

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What is plastic bronchitis? What are the red flags that lead to a diagnosis of plastic bronchitis and how is it diagnosed? More importantly, what can be done about it? Today’s guest will answer those questions for us and more!

Molly Fee is a mom of two boys and lives SE of Pittsburg. Her 9-year-old younger son, Marshall, was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome or HLHS. Marshall had his Fontan Procedure at age 4, and also has a repaired tricuspid valve. About 18 months ago, Marshall was diagnosed with a rare complication associated with complex congenital heart defects, called “plastic bronchitis.”  In today’s program, we’re going to learn what plastic bronchitis is, how one American family has dealt with this condition, and what advice they have for others living with plastic bronchitis.

Link mentioned in this podcast:

CHOP Lymphatic System page: https://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/jill-and-mark-fishman-center-lymphatic-disorders

Anna Buzzsprout Affiliate Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=16817

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Sheri Turner is our newest Defender Patron and she also serves as a HUG Volunteer. Thank you so much for your generosity and all you do, Sheri!

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Nino Barbalace es il conduttore della versione in Italiano del Programma di "Cuore a cuore con Anna."

La puntata di oggi è intitolata “L’Arte di Riparare il Cuore”, e la nostra ospite è Gabriella Ricciardi. Inizieremo la puntata di oggi conoscendo meglio Gabriella ed il suo costante amore per l’arte nella Prima Parte. Nella Seconda Parte, parleremo del percorso che ha Gabriella ha intrapreso per diventare un Cardiochirurgo Pediatrico e, nella Parte Finale, parleremo di come il suo talento artistico abbia contribuito alla sua pratica chirurgica.

Links to 'Heart to Heart with Anna' Social Media and Podcast Pages:

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Website: https://www.hug-podcastnetwork.com/

If you enjoy this program and would like to be a Patron, please check out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/HeartToHeart

Sheri Turner is our newest Defender Patron and she also serves as a HUG Volunteer. Thank you so much for your generosity and all you do, Sheri!

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What kind of career field can a woman passionate about art and science enter into to satisfy both of her needs to be creative? What attracted Gabriella Ricciardi to the field of cardiothoracic surgery for tiny broken hearts? Exactly how can artistic talents be of value to a surgeon of babies with broken hearts?

Today’s show is 'The Art of Repairing the Heart' and our Guest is Gabriella Ricciardi. Gabriella Ricciardi is an artist and cardiothoracic surgeon from Torre Annunziata, Italy. She has just completed her internship as a Resident Fellow in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery at LUMC in Leiden, the Netherlands. Gabriella uses art in her work and has recently had some of her anatomical drawings accepted for publication in the "World Journal for Paediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery." Today, she will be talking with us about the relationship between art and science, and how her drawings help her in the fascinating and complicated world of pediatric cardiac surgery.

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Website: https://www.hug-podcastnetwork.com/

If you enjoy this program and would like to be a Patron, please check out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/HeartToHeart

Sheri Turner is our newest Defender Patron and she also serves as a HUG Volunteer. Thank you so much for your generosity and all you do, Sheri!

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Anna's Buzzsprout Affiliate Link

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Do Heart Moms who have babies with heart defects have an easier time of things? Why would a Heart Mom write a book? What might entice a Heart Mom to start a podcast? Answers to these questions and more are in this week's episode of "Heart to Heart with Anna."

Nicole Groenewald is a Heart Mom to Henry who has HLHS. At the time that Nicole found out about Henry's diagnosis, she felt like she might never be happy again. Her husband had been ill, and the Groenwalds had already filed for bankruptcy due to mounting medical bills. Then one day, she read that babies can feel their mother's emotions before they're born. This set her on a path of changing her emotions and choosing joy. At first, she started with simple things like music and self-care. As her challenges grew in life, she became more determined to pursue a joyful life. Today, she works to inspire and encourage others to pursue joy with intentionality, and has started a website and podcast called "Moms of Heart!" Today, Nicole joins us to talk about her and Henry's journey and the benefits of choosing joy.

Links mentioned in this podcast:

Nicole's podcast -- Mom's of Heart: http://momsofheart.com/podcast/?fbclid=IwAR0RnRYa4S3boRRr5FCu18M9sEqFXhf0BxpnGqjR0XSKS6dl5pPpRbh9SwM

Nicole's podcast -- Chase Joy 100 Ways: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chase-joy-100-ways/id1506207814

Nicole's Hospital Journal:  https://momsofheart.com/shop/hospital-journal/

Anna Buzzsprout Affiliate Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=16817

Links to 'Heart to Heart with Anna' Social Media and Podcast Pages:

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hearttoheartwithanna/ 

Website: https://www.hug-podcastnetwork.com/

If you enjoy this program and would like to be a Patron, please check out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/HeartToHeart

Sheri Turner is our newest Defender Patron and she also serves as a HUG Volunteer. Thank you so much for your generosity and all you do, Sheri!

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What is the situation like for people with congenital heart defects in India? What happens to our Heart Warriors as they grow up? What does the Heart Community need to do in order to have a sense of justice for those born with broken hearts?

Sajani Nair lives in Calicut, India, and is the mother of Yadhu Krishna, a young man living with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (CCTGA). Since he was diagnosed, Sajani and her family faced an uphill battle for her son as they struggled to find care. At three and a half years of age, he had a pulmonary artery banding procedure at Narayana Health in Bangalore. He currently needs the arterial switch procedure. Obtaining medical care is difficult in India, as there is no insurance for congenital conditions, forcing families to rely on private hospitals. To help other families affected by CHD, Sajani started a support group in India and a letter-writing campaign to urge the health minister in the central government to address CHD. Her efforts have attracted the attention of doctors and others, who are now working together to support her cause, a life of dignity for people born with CHD.

Facebook Link to Justice for Children with Congenital Heart Defects

Links to 'Heart to Heart with Anna' Social Media and Podcast Pages:

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If you enjoy this program and would like to be a Patron, please check out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/HeartToHeart

Sheri Turner is our newest Defender Patron and she also serves as a HUG Volunteer. Thank you so much for your generosity and all you do, Sheri!

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What is it like to be an adult with a congenital heart defect whose heart has given out? What does a typical journey on the road to transplant like? Does it look anything like what we see portrayed on television or in movies?

Lorrie Hill grew up in Texas, mostly Houston and Dallas. She was born with a single ventricle heart and has had three open-heart surgeries in her 24 years, including a pulmonary artery band and bidirectional Glenn shunt. She was listed for a heart transplant on February 24th, 2020. Since then, she graduated with honors from her undergraduate university and moved to Houston to be closer to Texas Children's Hospital where she will receive her transplant. She has even begun her Master of Public Health epidemiology graduate program. She talks to Anna about life now and her hope of receiving a new heart.

This is a follow-up episode to the one Lorrie did in March 2020. There is also a transcript of the program available.

Here are the links to the websites Lorrie mentioned in this episode:

Donate Life
UNOS Transplant Living
Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network

Links to 'Heart to Heart with Anna' Social Media and Podcast Pages:

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If you enjoy this program and would like to be a Patron, please check out our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/HeartToHeart

Sheri Turner is our newest Defender Patron and she also serves as a HUG Volunteer. Thank you so much for your generosity and all you do, Sheri!

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Do you have a child with tetralogy of Fallot (ToF)? Do you wonder what that child's life might be like? Do you ever worry about how you will help your child move beyond childhood into adulthood where your child will be in charge of his/her own healthcare?

Deborah Meisten and her husband are the parents of a baby who was born with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). Deborah and her husband are in healthcare. She is a pediatric nurse practitioner and her husband is a pediatrician. Their son is now 16 years old. The family is preparing for the future to empower their son to transition to age-appropriate health care responsibilities.

In this episode of "Heart to Heart with Anna," Deborah shares with Anna what her heart journey has been like, some advice she's gained along the way, and ways she, her husband, and her son's cardiologist have worked to help him transition from cardiac care as a child to transferring that care onto him.

Links to 'Heart to Heart with Anna' Social Media and Podcast Pages:

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Sheri Turner is our newest Defender Patron and she also serves as a HUG Volunteer. Thank you so much for your generosity and all you do, Sheri!

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For decades the medical profession was engrossed in finding a way to help babies born with congenital heart defects to survive infancy and early childhood. It seemed relatively rare for babies born with complex congenital heart defects to become adults. Now there are more adults alive with congenital heart defects than infants being born with such birth defects. Therefore, a great deal of the focus of the medical field has shifted from that of "survival" to "quality of life." How can those in the medical field help Heart Warriors have a great quality of life? What resources are available for Heart Warriors? What role does anxiety and depression play in the world of a Heart Warrior? Is it common for adult Heart Warriors to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder? If so, who can help them? 

Today's Guest is Adrienne Kovacs, Ph.D. She works at the Knight Cardiovascular Institute at Oregon Health & Science University where she established and is the director of the Behavioral Cardiovascular Program. She will answer the questions posted above and much, much more!

Sheri Turner is our newest Defender Patron and she also serves as a HUG Volunteer. Thank you so much for your generosity and all you do, Sheri!

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Anna's Buzzsprout Affiliate Link

Baby Blue Sound Collective

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