When you meet Alex, you know you are meeting someone special.  And after talking to him, you realize that you are the special one, because you had that chance to get to know him.  When Alex was born in December, 1994 he came into this world with the odds against him. He was born with aortic stenosis (a narrowing of the aortic valve opening) and coarctation of the aorta (a narrowing of the major artery that carries blood to the body).

In his twenty-one years of life, he has undergone four open heart surgeries. His first two were within the first year of his life. The third was when he was ten years old. His most recent surgery was in 2013.

Says Alex, “A lot of people ask me, ‘How do you stay so optimistic about things?’  I tell them, my problems were congenital.  It’s hard to get mad about something you cannot control. Thus, the only way to fix these problems was through surgery. With that being said, I am thankful for everything that has happened to me in my twenty-one years. Adding to the congenital heart defect, I was also diagnosed with Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma (JNA), which was a tumor that occurred in my nasal cavity. That tumor was removed twice; in September of 2014 and July of 2015. After all of these ‘problems,’ I still remain positive and optimistic in life.”

The Heart Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital provides pediatric and adult heart patients with outstanding diagnostic, treatment and research facilities. At Nationwide Children’s Hospital, patients and families experience innovation and advancements unlike any other institution. The Heart Center consolidates all cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery services into a comprehensive model for family-centered care and convenience. The Center is one comprehensive location for care, education and research. We are prepared to treat patients from 0 to 100 years of age with experts in all areas of surgical and medical subspecialties.

“Nationwide Children’s Hospital means THE world to me. The staff is personable, friendly, and they genuinely care about not just me, but everyone. The doctors are even better; I can honestly say I have been blessed with some of the best doctors, not just in the state of Ohio, but the world. I’m an adult now, but I still feel right at home at Children’s,” says Alex.

Today, Alex is studying at The Ohio State University and is interested in becoming a sports psychologist. He enjoys playing hockey, photography, producing videos, and exploring Ohio. And Alex also enjoys making people laugh.

There is no doubt that come October 16, Alex will be making many people laugh and feel inspired as they pass through his mile at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon & ½ Marathon.

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• Name: Alex S.Alex Steckman
• Condition(s): Aortic Stenosis, Coarctation of the Aorta
• Age at Treatment: 3
• Age Today: 12/31/199429 Years

When you meet Alex, you know you are meeting someone special.  And after talking to him, you realize that you are the special one, because you had that chance to get to know him.  When Alex was born in December, 1994 he came into this world with the odds against him. He was born with aortic stenosis (a narrowing of the aortic valve opening) and coarctation of the aorta (a narrowing of the major artery that carries blood to the body).

In his twenty-one years of life, he has undergone four open heart surgeries. His first two were within the first year of his life. The third was when he was ten years old. His most recent surgery was in 2013.

Says Alex, “A lot of people ask me, ‘How do you stay so optimistic about things?’  I tell them, my problems were congenital.  It’s hard to get mad about something you cannot control. Thus, the only way to fix these problems was through surgery. With that being said, I am thankful for everything that has happened to me in my twenty-one years. Adding to the congenital heart defect, I was also diagnosed with Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma (JNA), which was a tumor that occurred in my nasal cavity. That tumor was removed twice; in September of 2014 and July of 2015. After all of these ‘problems,’ I still remain positive and optimistic in life.”

The Heart Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital provides pediatric and adult heart patients with outstanding diagnostic, treatment and research facilities. At Nationwide Children’s Hospital, patients and families experience innovation and advancements unlike any other institution. The Heart Center consolidates all cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery services into a comprehensive model for family-centered care and convenience. The Center is one comprehensive location for care, education and research. We are prepared to treat patients from 0 to 100 years of age with experts in all areas of surgical and medical subspecialties.

“Nationwide Children’s Hospital means THE world to me. The staff is personable, friendly, and they genuinely care about not just me, but everyone. The doctors are even better; I can honestly say I have been blessed with some of the best doctors, not just in the state of Ohio, but the world. I’m an adult now, but I still feel right at home at Children’s,” says Alex.

Today, Alex is studying at The Ohio State University and is interested in becoming a sports psychologist. He enjoys playing hockey, photography, producing videos, and exploring Ohio. And Alex also enjoys making people laugh.

There is no doubt that come October 16, Alex will be making many people laugh and feel inspired as they pass through his mile at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon & ½ Marathon.