Zoey’s Story

Zoey was born 4 weeks prematurely and was taken to the NICU right away. Her esophagus was not connected, her stomach and small intestine weren’t connected together and she had a heart condition that was much worse than an ultrasound during pregnancy had revealed. Strong little Zoey endured two surgeries within the first 72 hours of her life. In total, she has had 13 surgeries, three open heart surgeries, seven cardiac arrests, five strokes and spent twenty-two months as an inpatient in the hospital.

And then, the unimaginable: her doctors told her mother, Tori, that Zoey’s last, best hope for life was a heart and lung transplant – an extremely rare and dangerous procedure. They referred Zoey to Nationwide Children’s where she was placed under the care of Dr. Darren Berman, co-Director of Cardiac Catheterization and Interventional Therapy in The Heart Center. He and his team were able to do a high-risk open heart surgery that saved Zoey from needing a heart or lung transplant.

Now, defying all odds, Zoey can walk. She is a social butterfly who loves music, dancing, and her three little dogs. She is improving and growing stronger every day.

 

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Zoey was born 4 weeks prematurely and was taken to the NICU right away. Her esophagus was not connected, her stomach and small intestine weren’t connected together and she had a heart condition that was much worse than an ultrasound during pregnancy had revealed. Strong little Zoey endured two surgeries within the first 72 hours of her life. In total, she has had 13 surgeries, three open heart surgeries, seven cardiac arrests, five strokes and spent twenty-two months as an inpatient in the hospital.

And then, the unimaginable: her doctors told her mother, Tori, that Zoey’s last, best hope for life was a heart and lung transplant – an extremely rare and dangerous procedure. They referred Zoey to Nationwide Children’s where she was placed under the care of Dr. Darren Berman, co-Director of Cardiac Catheterization and Interventional Therapy in The Heart Center. He and his team were able to do a high-risk open heart surgery that saved Zoey from needing a heart or lung transplant.

Now, defying all odds, Zoey can walk. She is a social butterfly who loves music, dancing, and her three little dogs. She is improving and growing stronger every day.

 

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