Hays Post: Heart transplant gives Hays teen a new lease on life

By Tony Guerrero

After spending her entire life living with a rare heart defect, 16-year-old Kaylee Stuart is looking forward to something she has never had before, a chance to live without limitations.

Kaylee is the daughter of Relaford Warren Stuart and Krista Stuart of Hays. She was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, a congenital heart defect in which the left side of the heart does not fully develop and cannot effectively pump blood. As a result, the right side of the heart must pump blood to the lungs and the rest of the body.

Relaford said Kaylee recently underwent a heart transplant at Children's Mercy in Kansas City. He said the family was told to expect a wait of up to two years after she was placed on the transplant list April 6.

"We got the call a little over six weeks after we were on the list saying, 'Hey, we got a match. You need to get here.'" he said.

Read the full story via the Hays Post

The Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy

The Brendan Tripp Elam Transplant Center at Children's Mercy