F or her 3-month birthday, little Eleanor Westenhofer received the second best present she had ever received: She was able to go home from the hospital for the very first time since she was born. Her first few months of life were spent at Kosair Children’s Hospital fighting to stay alive until she could receive the ultimate gift – a heart transplant. However, her serious heart condition would require immediate action as soon as she was born. A pediatric cardiovascular team of surgeons and doctors at Kosair Children’s Hospital monitored Eleanor’s condition and evaluated treatment options. She was born Oct. 12, 2010, at 38 weeks via cesarean section. Immediately after her birth, doctors determined that the defect was too severe to be repaired surgically. A heart transplant would be the only option to save her life. According to Erle Austin, M.D., chief of cardiovascular surgery at Kosair Children’s Hospital and professor of surgery at the University of Louisville School of Medicine’s Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, fewer than 1 percent of babies are born with a heart defect, and the majority of those defects can be repaired with surgery. “We were prepared to take her into surgery and repair her heart within minutes of her birth,” Dr. Austin said. “But in Eleanor’s case, the best option for a long and healthy life beyond a year or two was a heart transplant.” Kosair Children’s Hospital performs, on average, three to six heart transplants a year. Baby Eleanor was put on a waiting list for a donor heart similar in size, blood type and age as hers. Then the wait began. That time span, which took exactly two months, was filled with mixed emotions, sorrow and hope for Lindsey and Damon. “The thought of a new baby’s life ending before it had hardly begun was heartbreaking enough, and knowing how close we were to losing our baby only magnified that heartache for us,” Lindsey said. “We will forever be grateful to the donor family for their brave and generous gift of life that was made possible for our Eleanor.” On Dec. 22, 2010, Eleanor received her new heart. Today, she is thriving and growing at home, and her parents delight in watching her change a little bit every day. While she may have to be a little more careful in terms of being exposed to germs and will need to adhere to a schedule of medication and follow-up appointments with her team of cardiac specialists, she otherwise is expected to live a healthy and normal life. Lindsey and Damon keep a blog of Eleanor’s progress, latest photos and news at www.ihearteleanor.com. And, if Eleanor’s beating the odds and fight for life so far are any indication, her future will be as bright and strong as her brave, new heart. Dean Lavenson Photo Baby braveheart 8 Eleanor was diagnosed with a severe and life-threatening heart defect when her mother, Lyndsey, was 25 weeks’ pregnant. Her condition was later diagnosed as critical aortic stenosis, a condition that occurs when the heart’s aortic valve is severely narrowed, preventing proper blood flow to the rest of the body. Much of Eleanor’s heart was not functioning. It is estimated that the severity of her heart defect occurs in approximately six out of every 1,000 babies born. The option to treat Eleanor’s tiny grape-sized heart with surgery while she was still in the womb was just too risky. Lindsey and her husband, Damon, not unlike any other expectant parents faced with daunting news of their unborn child’s critical diagnosis, were devastated at the possibility of losing their baby girl but made up their minds to remain positive. The couple immediately began to lean on family and friends for supportive thoughts and prayers. “It’s hard to even think about the emotions we felt after they told us it wasn’t likely Eleanor would even survive to birth. But we had to be strong for her, and strong for each other – really there was no other option,” Damon said. “We made the decision to have faith that she would not only make it, but live as normal a life as possible.” Eleanor inherited her parents’ courage and continued to fight despite the overwhelming odds that her heart would continue to function. Weekly ultrasounds showed that everything else was progressing as expected. Lindsey and Damon Westenhofer with baby Eleanor Kosair Children’s Hospital welcomes three new pediatric cardiologists Brian Holland, M.D., Ryan Leahy, M.D., and Mary Matta, M.D., recently joined Pediatric Cardiology Associates, the faculty of the University of Louisville School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, as well as the medical staff of the Congenital Heart Center at Kosair Children’s Hospital. Dr. Holland earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia School of Medicine and completed his pediatrics internship and residency at Tripler Brian Holland, M.D. Hawaii. Dr. Holland then completed a pediatric cardiology fellowship at New York Presbyterian Hospital. He was a major in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, earning a bronze star and the Resident Teaching Award in Pediatrics. Dr. Leahy graduated from Wright State University School of Medicine in Dayton, Ohio, and completed an internship and residency in pediatrics at Children’s Ryan Leahy, M.D. Heart care services offered at Kosair Children’s Hospital are made possible with support from the Children’s Hospital Foundation. For more information, visit TheCongenitalHeartCenter.com or call (502) 629-8060. Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Ill. Following completion of a pediatric cardiology fellowship at Children’s Memorial Hospital, Dr. Leahy received advanced training in pediatric interventional cardiology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. He recently graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a Master of Science degree in clinical research. Dr. Matta graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree from Guntur –Michelle Robey How you can help Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Medical College in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India. She completed a Mary Matta, M.D. pediatric residency and pediatric cardiology fellowship at Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital, Advocate Christ Medical Center, Oak Lawn, Ill. 9