Mark and the Berlin Heart

In late Summer, 2002, Melissa Kisner, from the Cleveland suburb of Parma, Ohio, was entering the final weeks of her third pregnancy. Her first and second trimester had passed uneventfully, but late in her third trimester, her obstetrician was growing concerned about the apparent small size of the baby she was carrying. A detailed ultrasound at 38 weeks revealed a cause for concern. Melissa’s baby, a boy to be named Mark, was in heart failure due to a critically stenosed aortic valve. Melissa was frightened about the finding but was comforted to know that a team of cardiologists at Rainbow and Babies Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio was up for the challenge. Read more

Do you remember Little Wyatt Lynas, 3, from Viola, Idaho?  Wyatt was featured in last year’s year end newsletter. This week, Wyatt’s parents learned he will need to return to Children’s Hospital Boston for another major heart surgery on October 23, 2009. Wyatt’s mitral, tricuspid, and aortic valves have been leaking, and need to be replaced.  Doctors in Boston plan to replace his mitral and tricuspid valves with mechanical valves. In addition, they’ll also to perform the Ross procedure, which involves taking the pulmonary valve and making it into the aortic valve and then using a cadaver valve for the pulmonary valve.  Without this surgery, Wyatt’s valves could give out at any time and put him in a more critical situation.

The Lynas family are requesting your prayer support as they travel back to Boston. They are so thankful to the Foundation and all the wonderful people out there – people that they’ve never met - who are willing to pray for their sweet little guy. Prayer is what has gotten them this far; and they are thankful to everyone who has supported their family along the course of their journey.

Monique, Wyatt’s mom, says, “I have met several kiddos and parents with mechanical hearts waiting for a transplant; and that is a long hard road.  We just pray to get through today and try to remember that broken heart or not, none of us are promised tomorrow.”

You are invited to follow along directly with Wyatt’s progress via his Care Page website:

http://www.carepages.com/carepages/Wyattlynas/updates/2386192?client_code=chb&ipc=mur

On Sunday, September 27th, 2009, more than 90 runners and walkers turned out to participate in the recent Team EKF/Quad Cities Marathon event in Moline, Illinois.  The team wore Erika Kate Foundation t-shirts and helped raise awareness for the work of the Foundation in the Quad Cities area.  The weather was beautiful and everyone had a great time cheering their teammates on as they participated in various events.  A big THANKS goes out to Joe Moreno and his crew of volunteers who helped make this a special event for the Erika Kate Foundation.  If you missed it, plan on joining us next year.

Eleven year old Hiroki Ando, of Tokyo, Japan, arrived in New York City in June to await a heart transplant at the Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York-Presbyterian.  Hiroki recently received his new heart, and is recovering well in the NYC Metro area.  Click Hiroki’s image to read more about his journey with cardiomyopathy.

This month EKF is remembering Ariyan Elle-Marie Ferdinand, who would have been 4 years old on August 16th. Ari had been treated for dilated cardiomyopathy since she was 4 months old. Ari passed away on April 20, 2009 as she was waiting to receive a heart transplant at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, in Bronx, NY.

In the aftermath of Ari’s passing, her family is trying to focus on the good memories, the way Ari lived with such spirit, and how she touched all those around her. Ari’s mother, Aschelle, says “We laugh and talk about her all the time and we believe that she really knew how to live.” They always called her ‘the trooper’. Ari didn’t want to be different, so she just kept going, not slowing down, always doing exactly what her brothers were doing. She was an outgoing, positive, and happy little girl who loved Elmo, Dora the Explorer, and dancing. Even when hospitalized, on good days she was talking with everyone and reminding the nurses what to do. Read more