Cardiac Center Patient Stories

From gracing a magazine cover to writing for one, this former Fetal Heart Program patient aims to shake up the beauty industry and its view of scars.

When 17-year-old Maddie collapsed on the school athletic field, a quick-thinking staff member saved her life with an AED. Now she’s determined to save others.

A genetic connective tissue disorder leads to multiple aortic aneurysms and life-threatening dissection in an 11-year-old.

A young athlete’s love of sports is derailed by valve disease, until an innovative procedure gets him back in his game.

Diagnosed with a rare lymphatic condition called chylothorax, a newborn undergoes life-saving surgery at CHOP’s Center for Lymphatic Disorders.

When two-year-old Elias was placed on ECMO with severe pulmonary hypertension, his chances of survival were almost nonexistent. CHOP cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Maeda saved his life through a risky procedure called Potts Shunt.

In the midst of the pandemic, a family travels from Hawaii to Philadelphia for their daughter’s third open-heart surgery. Find out why.

Discovering the world-class care at CHOP’s Cardiac Center, Addison’s parents relocate to Pa. for ongoing care of their daughter’s severe heart condition.

In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, one Va. family chose CHOP’s Cardiac Center for their daughter’s heart repair. Find out why.