Pioneering Surgeon Fixes Baby’s Heart - Children's Angel Flight

Life was a fragile thread for Eliana, and her doctors lacked the specialized training needed to fix her defective heart.

Though her birth on January 7, 2009 was normal, two days later doctors discovered a heart murmur. Tests revealed her condition required urgent care, and she was airlifted to Children’s Hospital in Washington, DC. There, she was diagnosed with a rare disorder, tetralogy of fallot. In Eliana’s case, the pulmonary artery was closed off at the heart’s entrance.

Several unsuccessful medical procedures followed, and at one point, Eliana was put on life support. Her parents, Will and Astrid, learned of a pioneering pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon at Stanford University. Dr. Frank Hanley was recommended as “the only one who understands anatomy enough to fix it.”

As director of the Stanford Children’s Heart Center, Hanley had performed over 600 surgeries to repair tetralogy of fallot. When Will contacted him, Hanley said he could fix Eliana’s heart in one surgery and that she would be completely normal.

The appointment was set, but getting to California was a challenge. Will and Astrid learned of Children’s Angel Flight through their church, made the call, and received free round-trip tickets. “We were there for quite a while,” Will said. “Eliana had surgery on January 27. It lasted for 10 hours.”

After returning home, the parents sent this report: “Eliana is crawling, kissing, playing, smiling and eating twice as much as before.”

Children’s Angel Flight was an important link in a baby’s chance for life.

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