When Emilia was born in 2020, her parents, Danielle and Brett, had no reason to think anything was wrong. She looked healthy and seemed fine.

But shortly after delivery, a cardiologist told them Emilia had been born with two congenital heart disease conditions: partial anomalous pulmonary venous return (PAPVR) and superior sinus venosus atrial septal defect (SVASD). This meant that some of the veins carrying blood from her lungs were connected to the wrong side of her heart, and there was a small hole between her upper heart chambers.

That news was hard to hear. But Danielle and Brett held on to hope and kept watching over their little girl.

Three years later, Danielle was pregnant with their second baby, Vivian. This time, her doctors knew to watch closely. During a routine prenatal scan, they discovered that she had an atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD), which is a congenital heart condition where a large hole forms in the center of the heart. It forces the heart to work much harder than it should, just to move blood through the body. However, unlike Emilia's condition, there was no waiting. Vivian would need open-heart surgery.

“When a baby is diagnosed with AVSD, it usually requires heart surgery within the first six months,” said Frank Scholl, MD, chief of Pediatric and Congenital Cardiac Surgery at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Heart Institute.

When Vivian was five months old, Dr. Scholl met the family for the first time during a preoperative consultation. Her heart repair was more complex than the team had initially expected because there was more leakage in the heart than the imaging had shown. But the pediatric cardiac surgical team was prepared, and the outcome was a success.

During that same visit, Danielle mentioned that he would have to operate on her older daughter once she was older. That’s when Dr. Scholl suggested scheduling Emilia's operation sooner rather than later after reviewing her case.

Danielle wasn't sure she was ready. Having one child recover from open-heart surgery was already overwhelming. But after talking it over with Brett, they decided to trust the team.

Emilia had her surgery with the same set of doctors and nurses who cared for her sister. A day after her surgery, she was up and walking, and her heart was repaired.

“We couldn't be happier,” says Brett. “They have no limitations, and we just have to go see a pediatric cardiologist once a year.”

For Dr. Scholl and his team, cases like Emilia and Vivian's are a reminder of why the work matters so much.

“It's amazing to see the energy and the care and the passion that this team has and brings every single day, brings their A-game just to take care of these patients and make their lives better,” says Dr. Scholl.

At Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital, our pediatric cardiac care specialists are trained to diagnose, treat, and support children with even the most complex congenital heart conditions from before birth through adolescence and beyond. We use the most advanced imaging and surgical techniques available, paired with compassionate, family-centered care that supports the whole family, not just the patient.

Whether your child has been newly diagnosed or has been living with a heart condition for years, our team is ready to help you take the next step.