Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Surgery (Heart Center)

22q doesnt diminish Molly's joy

Before starting kindergarten in August 2018, Molly spent the summer traveling with her family, swimming, spending time in the country with her grandparents and playing dress-up with her big sister. She loves her big sister, ice cream and dogs. Seeing her, you would never guess that her earliest days were spent at Children's Medical Center Dallas.

From the moment she was born, Amanda had been a perfectly healthy child. For 13 years, she experienced and enjoyed all the things a young child experiences friendships, school and sports. Nowhere along the way was there any indication Amanda may have a heart condition.

Jamie and Destin wanted their children to grow up close to one another. "That's the hope and the dream, that we get to have a family life," Jamie says.

On January 11, 2018, Ivan and Amanda welcomed their third child to the world. Baby Isaac looked healthy, and the happy parents took him home from the hospital in El Paso the very next day.

Though she seemed perfectly healthy during her first year of life, Ellie's pediatrician noticed she wasn't growing at her 12-month appointment. The doctor placed Ellie on a special diet and asked her mom, Michelle, to bring her back in a month. It was at this appointment that the pediatrician first heard a murmur in Ellie's heart.

When Casey speaks about her heart condition, it's easy to forget that shes just a teenager. With bravery, poise and knowledge, she shares how she was born with a heart defect and how now, 15 years later, she's grateful to have received a heart transplant. Casey's mom, Bethany, always knew that a transplant would be the ultimate "fix" for her daughter's condition she just never imagined it would happen this way.

Josiah is a sweet toddler who is full of energy and joy. He started preschool last fall, has a new baby brother and enjoys proudly reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. His mom, Carrie, says that looking at him, you'd have no idea he's had such a scary journey in his three years - a journey that started at Children's Health even before he was born.

Any new or experienced parent can attest to the fact that the early months of even the healthiest child's life comes with its own set of challenges. Lack of sleep, figuring out feedings, tracking developmental milestones the list goes on.

When Gabrielle, or "Gabby," was born, she was the fulfillment of her entire family's hopes for a baby girl. The youngest of three children, Gabby's parents and grandparents were excited to dote on the newest edition.

Graham was diagnosed with several congenital heart defects shortly after birth. When he was only 18 hours old, he was transferred from his home hospital in Louisiana to the Heart Center at Children's Health. Five days later, he underwent what would be the first of several surgeries to repair his heart.

On January 3, 2017, 16-year-old Jose returned to school after a fun and uneventful winter break. The student and active soccer player from Arlington, TX, suddenly started to feel sick: He had a bad headache, fever, nausea and chest pain. He went to the school nurse's office, where he began to feel worse. The nurse called Jose's mom, Marisol, to pick him up from school.

From just 12 weeks to 12 years old, four special patients received new hearts all in the same week at the Heart Center at Childrens Health. Watch the video above to meet Abby, Adriel, Alex and Phoenix and celebrate their incredible journey to a renewed opportunity for a happy, healthy life.

Erin Hunter, RN, BSN, underwent her first open heart surgery to repair a congenital heart defect known as Tetralogy of Fallot, or TOF for short, when she was just nine months old. She was referred to Children's Medical Center by her physician after her mom noticed she lacked the energy of a typical infant, especially during feedings, and her fingers and lips occasionally turned blue. She would go on to have six additional open heart surgeries by the time she was 11 years old.

Sam loves his dog, Cookie. When he stayed at Childrens for eight months last year waiting for his second intestinal transplant, he missed his sidekick.

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Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Surgery (Heart Center)