Emma’s journey began the very day she was born when her pediatrician noticed a murmur in her heart. In those early years, her family hoped the hole in her heart; a congenital heart defect would heal on its own. After a few years of observation, Emma’s family discovered the experts at the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Heart Institute who developed a plan to heal her heart as she grew.
While living mostly asymptomatic, Emma had what is known as a, atrial septal defect (ASD), where a hole in the wall between the heart's two upper chambers (the atria) causes oxygen-rich blood to cross through the hole into the right side of the heart instead of going directly out to the body. This can cause one side of the heart to receive additional blood which can lead to an enlarged heart that is strained if left untreated overtime.
Now at 8 years old, it was time to close the hole in Emma’s heart. “In that exact moment, my life froze,” says Betina, Emma’s mother.”
“While it was an incredibly nerve-wracking moment in our life, my family and I were met with such empathy and patience from the doctors and nurses at the hospital.”
With innovation at the forefront at the Heart Institute, Emma’s cardiovascular surgeon accessed her heart through the side of her chest instead of a traditional front incision, making hers one of the first Right Vertical Mini-Axillary Open-Heart Surgeries in Florida. By placing the scar discreetly in the underarm rather than across the chest, the approach also offers an important cosmetic and emotional benefit, especially for a young patient, while avoiding a more visible reminder of surgery. Led by Chief of Cardiovascular Surgery, Co-director of the Nicklaus Children’s Heart Institute, and Professor and Researcher at the FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Dr. David Kalfa, the procedure was mapped out with exact precision ahead of surgery day.
“From the dark moment when we heard the news to her final discharge date, Dr. Kalfa and the team at Nicklaus Children’s provided clarity and incredible care that carried us through our entire journey,” says Betina.
After an incredibly quick recovery, Emma is back to being the strong and agile Taekwondo student she is and enjoying life with her twin brother and family who have been right beside her throughout the journey.
