At 21 weeks pregnant with their first child, Reese, Taylor and Caleb Jeter received life-changing news: their unborn daughter had fetal heart block, a rare condition that disrupts the heart’s electrical system and can cause a dangerously slow heartbeat.

Living overseas at the time, the family was referred to Children's Mercy, where a multidisciplinary team of specialists came together to guide them through the remainder of the pregnancy and prepare for Reese’s complex care needs after birth.

Through careful monitoring and coordinated care, Reese was safely delivered and underwent surgery shortly after birth to support her heart. Along the way, the Jeters developed deep trust in the experts at Children’s Mercy who cared for both their daughter and their family.

After Reese’s diagnosis, Taylor learned she had Sjögren’s disease, an autoimmune condition that can increase the risk of fetal heart block during pregnancy. So, when the couple learned they were expecting a second child, Tate, they worked closely with their medical team and hoped for a different outcome.

See the full story via KCTV 5

The Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy

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

This year, two specialties placed among the top 25 nationwide: Nephrology at #14, and Neurology and Neurosurgery at #23. 

Additionally, for the second consecutive year, Children’s Mercy’s Pediatric and Adolescent Behavioral Health was named a top 50 program. (All mental health programs receive equal recognition.)  

The rankings below reflect the expertise, compassion and commitment the teams provide to patients and families every day. 

Children’s Mercy specialties’ rankings: 

• Nephrology (#14)
• Neurology & Neurosurgery (#23)
• Urology (#26)
• Cardiology & Heart Surgery (#30)
• Gastroenterology & GI Surgery (#33)
• Diabetes & Endocrinology (#36)
• Neonatology (#40)
• Pulmonology & Lung Surgery (#46)
• Behavioral Health (Top 50) 

“At Children’s Mercy, excellence isn’t defined just by rankings—every child we care for, every family we support and every breakthrough we achieve reflects the heart of our mission,” said Alejandro Quiroga, MD, MBA, President and CEO of Children’s Mercy. “Being recognized among the top pediatric hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report is an honor, but what matters most is the trust families place in us and the healing we deliver every day. That’s the true measure of our success.” 

U.S News surveyed nearly 150 pediatric centers, gathering clinical and operational data. This data was then combined with results from a reputational survey in which board-certified pediatric specialists were asked where they would send the sickest children in their specialty. 

The full rankings and methodology are available at www.usnews.com/childrenshospitals. 

On Thursday, Children’s Mercy celebrated a major milestone in the construction of its new clinic with a ceremonial beam-raising event in northeast Wichita.

Guests gathered near 29th and Greenwich to sign the final structural beam before it was lifted into place, leaving their mark on the new clinic.

When it is finished, it will serve more than 10,000 pediatric patients from across the region.

“We are built for kids we talk about it all the time, CM is built for kids and what that means is that every aspect of the way we build our building the way we deliver our care is designed with kids and their families in mind and that’s something we take seriously, we are devoted to taking care of kids and their families,” Dr. Amy Fallon, the president of regional operations for Children`s Mercy, said.

See the full story via KSN

PRESS RELEASE: Children’s Mercy Kansas City Unveils Plans to Expand Pediatric Ambulatory, Specialty Care in Wichita

Children's Mercy in Wichita

Kansas City-based Children’s Mercy will assume management of Mercy Springfield Communities’ pediatric care after formalizing a partnership announced last year.

John Myers, president of Mercy Springfield Communities, said the pediatric management agreement with Children’s Mercy becomes effective Nov. 1 and covers the health system’s existing pediatric hospital within Mercy Hospital Springfield and its specialty care clinics.

The two organizations are each big players in their own right: Children’s Mercy operates a 367-bed, free-standing children’s hospital in Kansas City and more than a dozen health care facilities in Missouri and Kansas, according to its website. It has over 800 pediatric specialists among its nearly 8,900 employees. Mercy Springfield Communities had 9,217 local employees as of July 2024, according to SBJ’s list of the area’s largest employers, and officials say more than 160 pediatric employees currently work locally for the health system.

A partnership between the two health systems was first announced in March 2024, however this newly signed joint operating agreement provides some of the first details on how the health systems will work together on care.

Myers spoke to Springfield Business Journal along with Amy Fallon, president of regional operations for Children’s Mercy, ahead of an Aug. 14 news conference announcing the signing of the joint operating agreement. 

Read the full article via the Springfield Business Journal

PRESS RELEASE: Mercy and Children's Mercy Announce New Details of Partnership and Expanded Pediatric Care at Today's Community Celebration

Every morning in the Ward Family Heart Center at Children’s Mercy Kansas City, you’ll find nurses watching videos of babies.

Not adorable TikToks or Instagram reels but homemade clips of vulnerable infants who are missing a ventricle from their heart.

They’re looking for subtle signs of deterioration: a change in skin color, irregular breathing, lethargic body language.

Infants with single ventricle congenital heart disease are some of the most medically fragile patients in pediatric care. The months between the first and second surgeries spent at home (called “interstage”) are especially dangerous, sometimes resulting in sudden death. A little over a decade ago, up to 20% of these patients died.

Children’s Mercy developed an app that allows nurses to keep tabs on the babies, and the survival rate rose to 98%. Over three years, the hospital had zero interstage deaths at home.

Watching closely, from a distance

Like many pediatric cardiology programs, Children’s Mercy had a home monitoring process in place before the CHAMP® app. Families were sent home with written instructions to track their baby’s weight, oxygen levels, and feeding. They scribbled notes in binders and brought them to clinic appointments every few weeks and sometimes discussed concerns over the phone.

But for babies with highly fragile hearts, the team knew they could do better.

“We wanted to see the data faster, and we wanted to be able to act on it,” said Lori Erickson, PhD, a nurse practitioner and director of Remote Health Solutions at Children’s Mercy.

Read the full article via Children's Hospital Association

CHAMP | Cardiac High Acuity Monitoring Program

The Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy

By Ryan Hennessy

A Raytown South High School student is alive today thanks to the swift action of two school staff members — Registered School Nurse Joanne Rose and School Resource Officer Dalton Dupaul — who stepped in during a life-or-death emergency.

The incident happened just before the final bell in March. Nurse Rose said she received an urgent call on the radio and raced upstairs, where she found a student collapsed on the ground.

“I ran upstairs to see what the emergency was,” Rose said. “I found a student collapsed on the ground, got down, started an assessment.”

Moments later, Officer Dupaul arrived and was quickly instructed by Rose to retrieve an automated external defibrillator (AED).

“So I left the room and got the AED, Dupaul said. “I came back to the room and she had already started chest compressions.”

Raytown schools are part of “Project ADAM,” a collaboration with Children’s Mercy Hospital that provides staff with emergency response training twice a year. That partnership proved critical.

“I’m just thankful that the training kicked in,” Rose said, “That we were able to get him assessed, get him the AED shock, do CPR, and get him to the hospital, and that everything did actually work out.”

Melissa Tanner, the district’s nurse coordinator (also an RN), said the AED data was sent directly to Children’s Mercy Hospital, allowing doctors to make informed decisions about the student’s care.

See the full story via KCTV 5

The Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy

Project Adam: Heart Safe Schools

As a pediatric cardiologist and pediatric nurse specializing in electrophysiology, we witness life and death situations every day. Many of those involve the 350,000 children each year who experience cardiac arrest. Unfortunately, only 1 in 10 survive until they get to the hospital.

This is a number that needs to change!

We see it every day. Every second matters in an emergency, and training students to bring lifesaving skills into the world means countless lives saved. It means equipping the heroes on the ground before first responders arrive on scene. They are invaluable skills.

 The American Heart Association is working to turn a nation of bystanders into a nation of lifesavers by ensuring all students and educators are trained in CPR. With your support, we can equip more people with this life-saving skill and help save more lives.

Knowing how to respond when someone goes into cardiac arrest can mean the difference between life and death. Having someone act immediately — call 911, perform CPR and use an AED (automated external defibrillator) when available — can double or even triple the chance of survival and improves long-term prognosis.

Read the full article via Kansas Reflector

Project ADAM: Become a Heart Safe School

For the first time in more than a decade, this year’s rankings included a new specialty – Pediatric and Adolescent Behavioral Health. Children’s Mercy is featured as one of the top 50 programs in the country. All programs receive equal recognition in this inaugural year. This is a testament to all the work being done to address the mental health needs of children and teens in our community.

Six Children’s Mercy specialties rank among the top 25 nationally this year, with the Nephrology team ranking #9. The Neonatology team made a big jump to #11 up from #48 last year, and Cardiology and Heart Surgery jumped from #43 to #26.

Children’s Mercy specialties’ rankings:

·        Nephrology (#9)

·        Neonatology (#11)

·        Urology (#20 tie)

·        Gastroenterology & GI Surgery (#21 tie)

·        Neurology & Neurosurgery (#21)

·        Diabetes & Endocrinology (#23)

·        Cardiology & Heart Surgery (#26)

·        Pulmonology & Lung Surgery (#28)

·        Orthopedics (#35)

·        Cancer (#39)

·        Behavioral Health (Top 50)

“Being among the top pediatric hospitals nationally is worth celebrating,” said Paul Kempinski, MS, FACHE, president and CEO of Children’s Mercy Kansas City. “Children’s Mercy finished first in Missouri and tied for third place in the Midwest region, which includes more than 40 hospitals across 13 states. The rankings are a true testament to our team’s hard work, expertise and dedication to the patients and families we serve.”

In surveying nearly 200 pediatric centers, U.S. News gathered clinical and operation data. This data was then combined with results from a reputational survey in which board-certified pediatric specialists were asked where they would send the sickest children in their specialty.

Those pediatric specialties consist of: behavioral health; cancer; cardiology and heart surgery; diabetes and endocrinology; gastroenterology and GI surgery; neonatology; nephrology; neurology and neurosurgery; orthopedics, pulmonology and lung surgery and urology.   

The full rankings and methodology are available at www.usnews.com/childrenshospitals.

Individuals with CHD, the most common birth defect diagnosed in one in 100 births, are living longer. There are nearly 2 million adults in the United States living with one of many different types of congenital heart defects, ranging among simple, moderate, and complex.

“We are honored to receive this accreditation from the Adult Congenital Heart Association,” said Anthony Magalski, MD, cardiologist and medical director of Saint Luke’s Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program. “It shows the dedication of our team of experts to our patients and their heart health through every phase of their life.”

The Kansas City Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program has a 28-year history of caring for patients with congenital heart conditions. Both organizations represent renowned innovation, quality, and compassionate care. Their partnership formed from their mutual desire to care for and provide seamless advanced care for patients with congenital heart disease from childhood through adulthood. 

“We are excited to have achieved ACHA accreditation for the KCACHD program,” said Brian Birnbaum, MD, pediatric cardiologist at Children’s Mercy Kansas City. “As the only ACHA accredited program in Kansas or Missouri, we continue to showcase the great work done by both Children’s Mercy and St. Luke's in congenital heart disease care, the strong collaboration our programs have—and the ongoing commitment to lifelong treatment of congenital heart disease in this region.”

The Kansas City Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program received accreditation by meeting ACHA’s rigorous criteria around medical services and personnel requirements. The accreditation process was developed through a collaboration with doctors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, and ACHD patients.

“There are now more adults than children in the U.S. with CHD,” said Mark Roeder, President and CEO of ACHA. “Accreditation will elevate the standard of care and have a positive impact on the futures of those living with this disease. Coordination of care is key, and this accreditation program will make care more streamlined for ACHD patients, improving their quality of life.”

 There are now 53 ACHA ACHD Accredited programs throughout the United States.   

Becker's "Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Heart Programs" list showcases healthcare institutions celebrated for their outstanding cardiovascular care, superior patient outcomes and advanced technologies. These heart programs are also at the forefront of cardiology research, making impactful discoveries in the field.

These organizations frequently earn top rankings from U.S. News & World Report, Healthgrades and other prestigious entities. Committed to excellence and growth, they provide top-tier care for thousands of patients every year and continually expand their heart care capabilities.

Children's Mercy (Kansas City, Mo.). The Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy Kansas City boasts a bed count of 390, including the dedicated 24-bed Haverty Family Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. The department features 35 cardiologists, four cardiothoracic surgeons, 37 advanced practice providers, and seven fellows. Children's Mercy Kansas City has been a trailblazer in pediatric cardiac surgery, sharing surgical outcomes publicly and achieving a 100% one-year patient survival rate post-heart transplant. The center is also a regional leader in ventricular assist device patient volume and has successfully performed heart transplants on single ventricle patients at all three stages of repair. Additionally, the hospital has innovative programs like Thrive for emotional support and CHAMP for at-home monitoring of complex congenital heart disease patients. Advanced services include leadless pacemaker implantation and a digital tool called MyHeartArt for personalized anatomical illustrations of heart defects. The center's commitment to quality care is reflected in awards like the U.S. News & World Report best children's hospitals recognition for cardiology and heart surgery.

See the full list via Becker's Hospital Review

The Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy

Children’s Mercy Kansas City (CMKC), as part of its ongoing pediatric collaboration effort with Mercy Springfield Communities, narrowed down the first two specialties it aims to bring to southwest Missouri.

The Kansas City-based hospital system recently acquired a Springfield pediatric cardiology practice after its parent company decided to divest clinics across the country, said Dr. Rob Steele, executive vice president and chief strategy and innovation officer at CMKC.

“We knew that this community cannot lose pediatric specialists,” Steele said at the Discover Children’s Mercy Showcase: Springfield, held at the White River Conference Center July 10. “You just can’t do that. Otherwise, you’d have even more children leaving the community.”

Read the full article via the Springfield Daily Citizen

Children's Mercy Kansas City to Collaborate with Springfield Community on New Pediatric System of Care

A Kansas trooper who helped save a baby girl who had stopped breathing last month says he was simply at the right place at the right time.

Baby Brexley was traveling with her parents, mom Gracie Gray and dad Kahl Huffman, along U.S. Highway 54 in Kiowa County on May 12 when her parents said she suddenly stopped breathing, lost consciousness and started turning a purplish color.

Huffman dialed 911, and within minutes, Master Trooper Evan Jacks of the Kansas Highway Patrol responded to the call.

"When Evan showed up, he didn't hesitate one bit. He was right on it," said Huffman, who said he went to high school with Jacks.

Afterward, Brexley was taken to two hospitals before being transferred to Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, on May 13. She has since been diagnosed with a rare congenital heart condition called Shone's complex or Shone's syndrome. According to the National Library of Medicine, Shone's complex is a condition where there are four obstructive lesions of the left heart, which can cause a heart murmur, shortness of breath, an enlarged left ventricle and dilatation of the left atrium.

See the full story via Good Morning America

Children's Mercy Kansas City

The Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy

By Ryan Collins

The collaboration effort between Mercy Springfield Communities and Children’s Mercy Kansas City (CMKC) to enhance pediatric care in southwest Missouri is moving at a fast pace, and the Kansas City-based hospital will begin seeing patients in southwest Missouri within the coming months.

“We expect to have patients being seen (in Springfield) this calendar year,” Dr. Rob Steele, executive vice president and chief strategy and innovation officer at CMKC, said in a May 29 interview on Mercy’s Springfield campus. “We’re itchy because we’re still in the midst of recruiting, but you know, optimistically, this is within the next couple months.”

The collaboration between the two hospital systems will not be a joint venture, nor a profit-sharing model, said John Myers, president of Mercy Springfield Communities. Instead, CMKC will pay Mercy to lease space within Mercy’s existing facilities, but CMKC will operate independently and without oversight from Mercy. The physicians and staff of the new Springfield pediatric practice will be exclusively employed by CMKC.

The model the two systems are aiming for is called a “hospital in a hospital,” but that type of operation still has to be approved by regulators, Myers said. The amount of square feet that CMKC will lease and the cost is still being hashed out, but it will be a significant quantity of space.

Read the full article via Springfield Daily Citizen

Children's Mercy Kansas City

About Children's Mercy Kansas City

A bill that would require cardiac emergency plans in Kansas schools is waiting for action in the senate.

Advocates for the proposed law, Sub House Bill 2494, were at the Capitol Monday. If passed, the bill would require AED machines in each district building and require CPR training for every coach or sponsor at school activities.

Lindsey Walton, a doctor at Children’s Mercy in Kansas City says AED awareness is just as important as having the machine in the building.

“All were in fire drills and tornado drills, we all learned about shooter drills, and they are super important,” Walton said. “But sudden cardiac arrest management and plans are as important and we should get this into our communities.”

See the full story via KSNT

Learn about Project Adam and Heart Safe Schools

The Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy

By Sean McDowell

Every Kansas City Chiefs fan deserves a chance to cheer.

That’s why leaders at Children’s Mercy Hospital organized a special Super Bowl pre-party on Wednesday, giving young patients and their families a fun afternoon.

Sixteen-year-old Jameson Burns and his loved ones attended. Burns and his family hail from St. Joseph, Missouri. He’s awaiting a heart transplant. Burns said he’s been at the hospital’s intensive care unit for 27 days, and on the local transplant list for close to three months.

“It’s fun to get out and see other people doing things that they can’t do all the time,” Burns said. “Plus KC Wolf is here.”

See the full story via Fox 4

The Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy

Children's Mercy Heart Transplant Program

One Kansas City metro family is paying back during this holiday season.

Sales from their new children’s book will go to the hospital that helped their premature baby seven years ago.

New Kansas City author Cristin Rogers looks through the eyes of Charlotte, her 9-year-old daughter, as part of “Grow Baby Grow,” an illustrated children’s book that recalls the birth of Cristin’s younger daughter Tilly, who was born at 31 weeks.

Doctors at Children’s Mercy Hospital detected a concern with Tilly’s heart.

See the full story via Fox 4

Children's Mercy Fetal Health Center

Children's Mercy Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Ways to Give to Children's Mercy

By Sam Hartle

An increase in the number of families needing a place to day during medical care opened the door for an expanded partnership between Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kansas City and Children’s Mercy Kansas City.

The organizations announced Thursday plans to open a Ronald McDonald House inside of CM’s hospital. The new, expanded space will provide 10 bedrooms and 24/7 access for families with children in the neonatal and cardiac intensive care units.

Read the full story via KSHB 41

Children's Mercy Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Children's Mercy Cardiac Intensive Care Unit

U.S. News surveyed nearly 300 pediatric hospitals. Three Children’s Mercy specialties rank among the top 20 nationally this year, with the Nephrology team ranked #10. The Diabetes & Endocrinology team tied for #15, and orthopedics made a big jump from #30 just one year ago to #18. 

 Children’s Mercy specialties’ rankings: 

• Cardiology & Heart Surgery (#43) 
• Diabetes & Endocrinology (#15) 
• Gastroenterology & GI Surgery (#27) 
• Neonatology (#48) 
• Nephrology/Kidney (#10) 
• Neurology & Neurosurgery (#30) 
• Orthopedics (#18) 
• Pulmonology & Lung Surgery (#33) 
• Urology (#26) 

“Being among the top pediatric hospitals nationally is worth celebrating,” said Paul Kempinski, MS, FACHE, president and CEO of Children’s Mercy. “Children’s Mercy finished first in Missouri and tied for seventh place in the Midwest region, which includes more than 40 hospitals across 13 states. The rankings are a true testament to our team’s expertise, high standards and dedication to the patients and families we serve.” 

In surveying the pediatric centers, U.S. News gathered clinical and operation data. This data was then combined with results from a reputational survey in which board-certified pediatric specialists were asked where they would send the sickest children in their specialty. 

Those pediatric specialties consist of: cancer; cardiology and heart surgery; diabetes and endocrinology; gastroenterology and GI surgery; neonatology; nephrology; neurology and neurosurgery; orthopedics; pulmonology and lung surgery and urology.    

The full rankings and methodology are available at www.usnews.com/childrenshospitals. 

By JuYeon Kim

This Mother’s Day weekend, a medical school graduate is determined to use her new degree to advocate for her child.

Elle Quinn walked across the stage on Saturday morning, not only for herself, but also for her son, Samuel.

Quinn and her husband found out during 15-weeks of pregnancy that their son would be born with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, a defect that causes a hole in his diaphragm.

It can cause his abdominal organs to move up into his chest and hinder his lung and heart from developing properly.

“It was hard for me because as a mom, your number one job is to protect them,” Quinn said.

As a medical student at the time, she was hyper-aware of the risks. She says having that knowledge was both a blessing and a curse.

“When he got into really bad situations, I knew that there wasn’t much left that they could do to help him," Quinn said. "But then on the other hand, because of my medical knowledge, I was able to advocate for him a lot and read his signs of what was going on."

After spending three months in the NICU at Children’s Mercy Hospital, Samuel miraculously defeated all odds and pulled through.

During the first few months of his life, he underwent surgery and relied on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, a form of life support used for people with life-threatening heart and lung problems.

See the full story via KSHB 41

The Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy Kansas City

Fetal Cardiology Program

The Children’s Mercy Research Institute was the perfect setting to celebrate the elevation of this esteemed group of clinicians, researchers and leaders to academic medicine’s highest achievement and the generous donors who made these endowed positions possible.

Philanthropy has powered the hospital, treatment and cures for children for more than 125 years. Thanks to our philanthropic community, Children’s Mercy has more than doubled its total number of endowed chairs - bringing more answers to children and families when they need them most!

“Through extraordinary donor investment, endowed positions provide ongoing financial support to advance excellence in pediatric medicine, research and teaching, while elevating the academic profile of Children’s Mercy and its stature as a national leader,” said Paul Kempinski, Children’s Mercy President and CEO, Alice Berry, DDS, and Katharine Berry, MD, Endowed Chair in Executive Leadership. “The impact: best-in-class experts and care for children and families who call Kansas City and our region home.”

Honorees

Aliessa P. Barnes, MD

The Melva and Randall L. O’Donnell Chair in Pediatric Cardiology

Steven Olsen, MD

Swatek Family Endowed Chair in Neonatology

Jon Wagner, DO

Matson Family Endowed Professorship in Cardiology Research

Norman Y. Otsuka, MD, MSc, FRCSC, FAAP, FACS, FAOA

Dr. Brad and Dawn Olney Chair in Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery

Rangaraj Selvarangan, PhD, BVSc, D(ABMM), FIDSA, F(AAM)

William R. Brown/Missouri Endowed Chair in Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine

To learn more about the honorees and donors, please visit 2023 Investiture Ceremony (office.com).

Thank you to Dr. Randall and Melva O’Donnell, Ken and Mary Matson, Steve and Kathy Swatek, Dr. Brad and Dawn Olney, and William R. Brown for their visionary leadership and generosity in establishing these vital positions for the continued work of building a world of well-being for all children.

By Melissa Brunner

Damar Hamlin’s collapse on the football field hit home for an Osage Co. teen and his family.

Chad Robert, now 16, collapsed during warmups for a high school football game Oct. 28, 2021. He doesn’t remember what happened.

“Last thing I remember was eating pulled pork before we got on the bus to go to the game,” he said.

His parents, Jennifer and Daniel, were on their way to the game in Holton when they got the type of call parents fear.

“(We were) admiring a rainbow out the window, taking pictures when all of a sudden my cell phone rings,” Jennifer said. “It was an assistant coach on the Santa Fe Trail football team saying we’ve got a medical emergency with your son and we need permission to treat him on the field.”

Chad, then a sophomore, fell to the ground, started seizing, then went into cardiac arrest. Coaches, first responders, and people in the stands jumped in to help.

“It kept progressing. They’re doing CPR, and then they’re shocking him with the AED,” Jennifer said.

The family followed the ambulance to Stormont Vail, where emergency medicine Dr. Lindsay Schwartz was on duty, and had a team waiting, including extra nurses, respiratory therapy and phlebotomists.

“I want to make sure I have all my support staff at bedside to do what I need to do,” she said.

Dr. Schwartz said that quick response - which started on the field - is vital to survival.

“If we don’t have our heart pumping blood then none of our organs can function and we don’t have any brain activity,” she said.

After two days at Stormont, Chad was transferred to Children’s Mercy in Kansas City for further evaluation. He woke up there two days later - four days after he collapsed.

See the full story via WIBW

The Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy Kansas City

Heart Procedures

By Asia Cymone Smith

Andrew and MaKenzie Villarreal were as excited as any first-time parents to welcome their son Brysen into the world.

But when MaKenzie went in for her 18-week scan, they knew something would be different about their journey.

After being referred to a maternal-fetal specialist, the diagnosis came in: Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.

“He’s essentially a normal, happy baby other than living with half a heart,” MaKenzie said about Brysen – who is now almost two years old.

Brysen has undergone two open-heart surgeries at Children’s Mercy Kansas City. He has another planned for this summer.

“Our amazing cardiothoracic surgeons do a series of surgeries to make sure blue blood goes to the lungs and gets oxygenated and red blood goes to the body,” said Dr. Aliessa Barnes of Children’s Mercy.

Brysen also requires doctor visits every three months. He is currently prescribed daily aspirin.

“It’s put a lot of strain. But it’s so worth it, and I would do it again,” said MaKenzie.

And while Brysen doesn’t look different at first glance, he is one of many kids living with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD). Dr. Barnes explained that looking okay doesn’t mean the diagnosis is any less severe.

“The resiliency of the family, obviously the patient, is why I went into pediatrics. Every day, kids teach me what real bravery looks like,” Dr. Barnes said.

See the full story via KSN

Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy Kansas City

What to expect during heart surgery

By Mark Poulose

The four remaining NFL playoff teams are not the only teams competing this weekend and beyond. Children’s Mercy is competing in the “Touchdown for Kids!” Challenge with other children’s hospitals across the country.

The Challenge pits the children’s hospitals in the four remaining NFL cities (Kansas City, Cincinnati, Philadelpha, and San Francisco) in a competition to raise the most money for pediatric heart research. Each hospital has a goal of raising $15,000.

“Our continued focus is on genomics -- understanding the human genome in children,” said Children’s Mercy CEO Paul Kempinski. “By understanding it, that understanding will lead to new treatments, and the treatments will lead eventually to cures of rare diseases, many of which can come about through congenital heart disease.”

See the full story via KCTV 5

Touchdown for Kids Fan Challenge

Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy Kansas City

By Alan Shope

There's a local program ensuring school staff members and some students know how to respond to cardiac arrest.

The program is called Project Adam.

School nurse Crissy Kuhlmann can see just about anything on a given school day, a lost tooth being her favorite.

She says that's about it on most days. But that's also why she wanted her school to participate in the nationwide Project Adam Initiative.

It's a program that supplies schools with new and advanced automated external defibrillators.

The AEDs come with complete CPR training for staff and students.

"Knowing how to do CPR and knowing how to use an AED are essential," Pediatric physician at Children’s Mercy Dr. Lindsey Malloy-Walton said.

Project Adam is in more than 4,000 schools nationwide and growing. To date, it's credited with saving more than 200 lives.

"We really want to get ahead of it before an athlete or a student drops in a school setting," Malloy-Walton said.

See the full story via KMBC 9

Project Adam

How Children's Mercy supports schools

By Shannon Rousseau

An incredible display of teamwork at Children’s Mercy Hospital.

An 18-year-old is Kansas City’s first pediatric patient to undergo a dual heart and liver transplant.

The operation happened in October 2022, when the patient was 17 years old. He was born with a rare genetic condition that caused him to go into cardiac failure. The teen had an LVAD device (which helps pump blood to the heart) implanted two to three months before the historic operation.

“It was a labor of love. There was a lot too it, but it paid off,” said Dr. Aliessa Barnes of the 14-hour operation.

She’s a heart transplant physician and the co-director of the Solid Organ Transplant Center. She, along with more than 30 others, worked to place the teenager’s new heart and liver.

Only a handful of U.S. hospitals perform this type of procedure, according to Dr. Bhargava Mullapudi, a pediatric transplant surgeon with Children’s Mercy.

“There are very few institutions in the country such as Stanford, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and now Children’s Mercy that are doing ‘en bloc,’ which means the heart and liver are connected, and both the organs are put in at the same time,” Mullapudi said.

See the full story via Fox 4

Brendan Tripp Elam Transplant Center at Children's Mercy

The Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy

The Pediatric Liver Transplant Program at Children's Mercy

By Reina Flores

Stormont Vail Health is bringing specialized pediatric care closer to home.

Along with Children's Mercy in Kansas City, the two organizations are working together for a new clinic at 9th and Mulvane.

”We’ll be able to provide really anything that we offer in Kansas City, initial visits, follow-up visits for kids that are seen in Kansas City and we will be expanding to do telehealth visits and other types of specialties,” said Stacy Doyle, Children’s Mercy.

The clinic will offer specialty services for children from birth to the age of 21.

Stormont Vail and Children’s Mercy have partnered since 2018.

The clinic is now open and accepting patients.

See the full story via WIBW

Children's Mercy Topeka at Stormont Vail Health

A 12-year-old boy's heart stopped at school. His teachers rushed to resuscitate him.

Max Kotcharvar was in a physical education class at Woodland Spring Middle School when he collapsed on the floor. His heart had stopped. His teachers gave him CPR and used an AED to bring him back to life.

They got his pulse back and an ambulance took him to Children's Mercy Hospital.

Doctors diagnosed him with restrictive cardiomyopathy. He needed a new heart.

"We weren't expecting that at all, and it was pretty rough news to take," said Max's mother, Stephanie Kotchavar.

Stephanie Kotchavar said it was a big shock. She said there were miracles along the way. On Sept. 21, she said they received the call.

"We were getting ready to go to bed and then we had to go to the hospital at like 12 o'clock," said Max Kotcharvar.

See the full story via KMBC 9

The Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy

Children's Mercy Heart Transplant Program

By Sharon Chen

A teen from Jamesport, Missouri, needs a new heart.

At 17-years old, Daniel Troyer suffers from cardiomyopathy. His heart is dying. Most patients like Daniel must endure long hospital stays while waiting for a donor, but Daniel is living a near-normal life.

“I mean, yeah, I have energy and I can pretty much do what I want,” said Daniel.

Two weeks ago, it was a very different story. Daniel could barely walk.

But, thanks to a new device at Children’s Mercy Hospital, he has a new lease on life.

“It’s keeping the blood flowing,. It’s getting the blood to my body. So, more energy,” said Daniel.

The device is called the Heart Mate 3, it’s a Ventricular Assist Device or VAD.

“It removes the blood from his heart to pump it to his body, so his heart doesn’t have to do the work,” said Dr. David Sutcliffe.

See the full story via KCTV 5

The Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy

Children's Mercy Heart Transplant Program

HealthLeaders Innovation and Technology Editor Eric Wicklund talks to Lori Erickson, director of remote health solutions at Children's Mercy Kansas City, about the hospital's Cardiac High Acuity Monitoring Program, or CHAMP, which enables the hospital's care team to connect with new parents at home to monitor their babies after they've left the hospital.

Listen to the podcast

Children's High Acuity Monitoring Program

Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy Kansas City

By Emily Holwick

A doctor’s visit at Children’s Mercy’s heart clinic may look like a routine checkup, but the past seven months have been anything but routine for the Steele family.

“The journey itself was one that has been really miraculous in a lot of ways,” said Jonathan Steele.

He and his wife Lisa, who live in Olathe, found out their 5-year-old son Jake needed a heart transplant last November. He was hospitalized at Children's Mercy while he waited for a donor.

As they faced the unknown, another family was on a similar journey. Little A.J. Winkler was in a room nearby, also in need of a new heart.

“Oh, he's a strong little thing,” his mom, Trista Yates, said as she held her almost-1-year-old in her lap.

A.J. and Jake became fast friends, visiting each other and playing together as the weeks and months went by.

In early June, both boys finally got the life-saving call. They had their heart transplant surgeries just four days apart. After finally being able to go home, a post-surgery checkup also became a reunion for the boys and their families.

See the full story via KMBC 9

Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy

Heart Transplant Program at Children's Mercy

U.S. News surveyed nearly 200 pediatric hospitals. Seven Children’s Mercy specialties rank among the top 25 nationally this year, with the Nephrology team seeing its highest ranking at #4. Nine of our specialties finished higher than one year ago.

Children’s Mercy specialties’ rankings:

·       Nephrology/Kidney (#4)

·       Neonatology/Neonatal Care (#14)

·       Urology (#17)

·       Neurology & Neurosurgery (#18)

·       Cardiology & Heart Surgery (#19)

·       Diabetes & Endocrinology (#22)

·       Pulmonology/Respiratory Disorders (#24)

·       Gastroenterology/Digestive Disorders (#28)

·       Orthopedics (#30)

·       Cancer (#34)

“Being ranked in all 10 specialties is not an easy task, especially when considering the relentless stress that COVID-19 put on our organization last year,” said Paul Kempinski, MS, FACHE, president and CEO of Children’s Mercy. “To be among the top institutions in the nation speaks volumes about our expertise, outcomes and reputation, but also about our resiliency and resolve to provide the highest-quality care to our patients and their families, during even the most tumultuous of times.”

In surveying the pediatric centers, U.S. News gathered clinical and operation data. This data was then combined with results from a reputational survey in which board-certified pediatric specialists were asked where they would send the sickest children in their specialty.

Those pediatric specialties consist of: cancer; cardiology and heart surgery; diabetes and endocrinology; gastroenterology and digestive disorders; neonatology; nephrology; neurology and neurosurgery; orthopedics, pulmonology and respiratory disorders; and urology.   

The full rankings and methodology are available at www.usnews.com/childrenshospitals.

Doctors told them that Easton would need a heart transplant, which would typically mean he would need to remain on immune-suppressing drugs for the rest of his life, so that his body’s immune system didn’t reject the transplanted organ. 

According to Dr. William Gibson, a surgical director of cardiac transplantation at Children’s Mercy in Kansas City, Missouri, being able to transplant solid organs — including the heart and kidneys — without the recipient’s body rejecting the donated organ is the “holy grail of transplantation.”

“If this is the first step in being able to do that with a simultaneous thymus transplant, that will potentially change the game in solid organ transplant,” Gibson said. 

By Charlie Keegan

A small heart is putting up a big fight at a Kansas City, Missouri, hospital this Valentine’s Day.

At only three-and-a-half months old, Lettie Jude Rau has spent pretty much every minute of her life in a hospital. Shortly after her birth in Springfield, doctors realized her heart wasn’t working properly.

Previously undetected, doctors determined Lettie Jude has a condition called cardiomyopathy, which means her heart can’t pump blood as it should.

Doctors rushed the infant 150 miles north to Children’s Mercy Hospital where she had open-heart surgery at 5 weeks old.

Lettie Jude is connected to a ventricular assist device (VAD) which does the pumping for her, but it means she has to remain in a hospital room until she gets a heart transplant.

See the full story via KSHB

Learn more about our Heart Center

Learn more about our Heart Transplant Program

Heart Transplants in Children

He was born with a congenital heart defect.

"He was about 2-weeks-old when he had his first balloon procedure," Munsch said.

Mason was having heart issues and trouble breathing.

"It helps them avoid undergoing an open heart surgery at least for the next several years or even decades," said Dr. Stephen Kaine, of Children's Mercy Hospital.

Children's Mercy is the first area hospital to perform the new valve procedure.

Children’s Mercy works with area adult health systems, including the Mid America Heart Institute at Saint Luke’s, to provide CHD patients with seamless, continuous, advanced care as they transition to adulthood. The Adult Congenital Heart Program will treat all types of congenital heart conditions in adults, including those complicated by heart rhythm problems, heart failure and pacemakers.

Watch a short video about the Adult Congenital Heart Program

Check out the Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy Kansas City

By Melissa Brunner

Elijah appears to be a typical seven-year-old when he hits the playground with his sister, Kinley.

But behind the smile, lies determination and a lot of heart - even if part of Elijah’s heart is missing.

“Elijah was born with a congenital heart defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome, so essentially the left ventricle was severely underdeveloped,” Ali Diaz explained.

Elijah underwent his first open heart surgery when he was just three days old. Dr. Brian Birnbaum, a pediatric cardiologist at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, is one of Elijah’s doctors.

“All of us have the left side of our heart that pumps blood to the body, and the right side of the heart pumps to the lungs, and Elijah really wasn’t born with the left side of his heart,” he said.

Dr. Birnbaum says typical treatment is a series of three surgeries. Elijah had the first two, but his body hasn’t responded the way it’s needed to for the third.

It leaves the family with one option.

“I’m gonna get a new heart soon,” Elijah said.

Read the full article via WIBW

Learn about Children's Mercy's Heart Center

Learn about the Heart Transplant Program

Learn about the Transplant Center

By Vickie Moss

Jessica Tanner worries her son will be infected by COVID-19 again.

He barely survived the first time.

Connor McCullough, age 12, was diagnosed with the coronavirus in late January.

A healthy boy with no underlying issues, Connor almost died from contracting COVID when a few weeks after he became infected, it triggered a rare disease known as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).

His condition deteriorated to the point where he experienced cardiac distress and nearly died, his mother said.

His heart was damaged, forever changing his health.

Connor has been unable to return to school and his activities are severely restricted out of concern that he might get re-infected.

After his hospitalization at Children’s Mercy in Kansas City, Connor returned to in-person classes in Humboldt. But his recovery was difficult, and he was unable to remain in school.

“His body went through a traumatic event. He’s still healing,” Tanner said.

Connor plans to attend the next USD 257 board meeting to share his experience in hopes of convincing members to adopt a mask mandate.

Read the full article via The Iola Register

Children's Mercy's recommendations on Returning to School and the Community Safely

Tips on Helping Your Child Wear a Mask

Information on COVID-19 Vaccine at Children's Mercy

U.S. News surveyed nearly 200 pediatric hospitals this year. Five Children’s Mercy specialties rank among the top 30 nationally this year, with the Nephrology team leading the way at #10, the 11^th straight year to be in the top 10. The Children’s Mercy Cancer team, at #28, also improved its ranking for the fourth straight year, the longest streak since Children’s Mercy started participating in the survey in 2008.

Children’s Mercy specialties’ rankings, with one in the nation’s top 10:

• Nephrology (#10)
• Urology (#19)
• Cardiology & Heart Surgery (#24)
• Neurology & Neurosurgery (#25)
• Cancer (#28)
• Orthopedics (#31)
• Gastroenterology & GI Surgery (#32)
• Pulmonology & Lung Surgery (#37)
• Diabetes & Endocrinology (#38)

“These results speak volumes about our expertise, outcomes and reputation,” said Paul Kempinski, MS, FACHE, president and CEO of Children’s Mercy. “They are also a direct reflection on every Children’s Mercy employee and their commitment to our patients and their families, especially during a year that forever will be remembered for a devastating worldwide pandemic.”

In surveying the pediatric centers, U.S. News gathered clinical and operation data. This data was then combined with results from a reputational survey in which board-certified pediatric specialists were asked where they would send the sickest children in their specialty.

Those pediatric specialties consist of: cancer; cardiology and heart surgery; diabetes and endocrinology; gastroenterology and GI surgery; neonatology; nephrology; neurology and neurosurgery; orthopedics, pulmonology; and urology.

The full rankings and methodology are available at www.usnews.com/childrenshospitals.

One of the biggest hurdles is smokers often underestimate the levels of exposure and the effects on nonsmokers' lungs, hearts and brains.

"There's denial among the smokers that they don't smoke around children, they don't smoke in the house, they don't smoke in the car," said Dr. Geetha Raghuveer, a pediatric cardiologist at Children's Mercy Kansas City. "But that may not be something they can execute all the time."

She said the "intent" might be there to avoid smoking around others, but the reality often differs greatly – and "with the pandemic, at this point in time, people may have been indoors more."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 58 million people in the U.S. were exposed to secondhand smoke as of 2014, the latest year for which data is available for both children and adults.

Read the full article via HealthDay

Learn more about the Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy

A Lansing mother said she woke up at 4 a.m. to find her infant daughter had stopped breathing. Doctors said that what she did after that saved the baby's life.

"She was a perfectly healthy 7-week-old baby, nothing wrong with her and then she has a heart attack," said mother, Angela Luneau. 

Angela Luneau found Everleigh gasping for air.

"Immediately I knew something wasn't right," she said.

Angela Luneau said she called 911, but before she could get help, she said that Everleigh stopped breathing.

"I started CPR on her," she said.

"I don't even know how to describe the terror," Angela Luneau said.

It's what she did next that doctors say probably save the baby -- she remained calm.

"I just laid her on a flat surface, tilted her head back, gave her two breaths and watched the rise of her chest," Angela Luneau said.

While in the Army, Angela Luneau said she received CPR training.

Everleigh was brought to Children's Mercy Hospital, where doctors put in a pacemaker and she's doing OK now. Everleigh is now 4 months old and gets regular checkups at Children's Mercy Hospital's heart center.

See the full story via KMBC 9

Learn more about the Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy 

A 10-year-old boy has a new lease on life after receiving a new heart.

"He had a heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy," said Ingrid Malsam.

At just 4 months old, Garrett Malsam's family knew that at some point he was probably going to have to have a heart transplant.

In September, doctors told the family that Garrett needed a new heart.

On Thanksgiving Day, Garrett received a new heart, making him the 31st child to get a heart transplant at Children's Mercy.

See the full story via KMBC 9

Learn more about the Heart Transplant Program at Children's Mercy

Due to COVID-19, many high schools are not celebrating National Signing Day for students athletes who are committed to playing sports in college.

One local family had a celebration of their own because they said this day almost didn’t happen.

Eighteen-year-old Brennan Connell sat at a table draped with a Fort Hayes State flag and behind him gold and black balloons. Surrounded by his family, the baseball pitcher signed his commitment letter to play baseball for the Tigers.

“I thought it would be a little different than it was, but I’m just glad to be here right now,” Connell said.

Two years ago, Connell, who was pitching for Olathe West, was on a hot streak. He had thrown two balls and two strikes to one of the best players from Blue Valley Southwest when he collapsed on the mound.

“I had a sudden cardiac arrest, which means, it’s like a light switch which is on at one point and then everything just shuts down,” Connell said.

During his two weeks in Children’s Mercy Hospital, much of which was touch and go, Connell told his dad one thing.

“He said I wanna play. I wanna play sports again,” Brian Connell recalled.

“It’s a dream come true,” Connell said. “Every kid dreams about going to the to college for the sport they love.”

The Connells have become advocates for heart checks and urge all families to request a heart screening as part of student athletes’ sports physicals. 

See the full story via Fox 4

Learn more about The Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy 

For a 2 year old, Grace Venneman knows more about hearts than most her age.

The playful toddler points to mother Laura Venneman’s chest.

“Mama heart.”

Laura responds, “Yep, mama’s heart, Grace’s heart,” pointing back at Grace’s chest.

Grace was born a healthy, full-term baby in August 2018. It wasn’t until her eight-week checkup that her pediatrician raised concern that Grace wasn’t growing at the rate she needed to.

In November 2018, Grace was admitted to the hospital and upon an X-ray, it was discovered she had an enlarged heart.

The family was transported to Children’s Mercy in Kansas City. Grace was diagnosed with “ALCAPA” (anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery), a one in 300,000 heart defect that is not genetic.

Her heart team discovered she had severe stenosis coronary artery.

By March 2019, Grace was put on a transplant list.

The family waited five months for a donor heart to become available.

Now, Grace is an active girl who loves horses and playing with big sister, Kaydence. The family largely stays home to protect Grace’s delicate immune system.

Grace was the featured guest of the American Heart Association - Kansas Heart Ball this February.

See the full story via KSN

Learn more about The Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy 

As she lay on the floor of the volleyball court, strangers pressing paddles against her chest and the color dissipating from her face, Olivia Eisenhauer fought for her life.

An eighth-grade student at the time, she was walking off the court of a summer volleyball competition in Shawnee, Kansas, when she suddenly and violently collapsed to the ground. As concerned onlookers and her parents stood beside her, they first believed it was nothing but a minor injury suffered from the normal grind of sport.

“We thought it might be dehydration or something. It’s the middle of summer,” said Rod Eisenhauer, Olivia’s father. “She wouldn’t come to, so immediately it became more of a serious situation.”

More than 600 miles away, in Greeley, Colorado, Connor Gillmore was forging a life for himself. A great kid with a huge heart, his parents would say, he would always offer to help out someone in need. The oldest of four children, Connor was in high school discovering his passion.

Cars.

He did not mind spending long hours working on the several cars he owned, and enjoyed the work before taking them out for a drive in the Colorado mountains.

Four years later, his journey would collide with Eisenhauer’s on Dec. 3, 2018.

That’s the day 16-year-old Eisenhauer received a new heart. It belonged to Gillmore, who was 22 and had suffered severe injuries from a car accident.

As fate would have it – and fate reared its head in the strangest of ways with these two – Olivia was at Children’s Mercy Hospital Kansas in Kansas City for a routine check-up when she learned that after a long wait, a heart was available to her.

Gillmore’s.

Olivia was diagnosed with restrictive cardiomyopathy, a condition that affects the oxygen levels and viability of her heart.

“The top half of my heart was perfectly fine, but the bottom half of the muscle was incredibly tense and I needed double the oxygen for it,” Olivia said. “I could barely walk up steps without borderline passing out because I would just get winded.”

The family soon learned that “the only choice was to do a heart transplant,” her doctor, Aliessa Barnes, director of cardiac transplantation at Children’s Mercy Kansas City, said in a video for the American Heart Association.

After a 10-hour operation at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Olivia had a perfect, beating heart in place. She was given a second lease on life, cured of the endless trepidation and angst that consumed the years since her first cardiac arrest.

Read the full story via Cronkite News

Learn more about The Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy

We’re all working hard to stay safe and help to stop the spread of coronavirus. Today, pediatric cardiologist, Dr. Lalitha Gopineti, is sharing some heart complications that occur after contracting COVID-19 in children and how student athletes can safely return to sports after contracting or being exposed to coronavirus.

View the full clip via Good Day Kansas

Learn more about Children’s Mercy Wichita

"You're probably never going to play sports again."

Think of a kid hearing that, who never suffered an injury and didn't know anything was particularly wrong. Picture yourself in middle school, sitting in the emergency room and listening to the words "never going to play sports again," from someone you've never met.  "I knew something was wrong, but I didn't know the extent of what was wrong," Maguire Sullivan said. "It came out of nowhere."

Sitting on the steps of Buser Family Park almost eight years later, the first commit from the third recruiting class in K-State Soccer history is surrounded by evidence this doctor was wrong. But all the way back in middle school, someone else Sullivan had never met wrote her a letter.  And in purple ink with an unmistakable horizontal font, Bill Snyder got it absolutely right. 

Sullivan was preparing to focus on her high school soccer career as she wrapped up the eighth grade. 

And then she passed out.  

It started happening during basketball games and track meets, but sometimes, Sullivan would be sitting in class when her heart would start racing, faster and faster.  She went to the hospital after a CrossFit workout with her soccer team. Her heart had started racing again, before Sullivan finally passed out. Her Mom picked her up and it was off to the emergency room in Wichita.

That was the first time she heard about Supraventricular tachycardia, or SVT. "Her electrical system was messed up," Tomara Sullivan said. "And they had no clue why." That was enough, for at least one ER doctor in Wichita, to tell Maguire that she was done playing sports. 

The next stop for the Sullivan family was Kansas City. Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City had another option to diagnose and correct the problem: exploratory heart surgery. Even with a word like "exploratory" in front it, heart surgery is still heart surgery. But for Sullivan and her family, this was the second opinion they were hoping for.  

"The doctor in Kansas City reassured her, 'You're going to be fine. You'll play sports again.' She was just ready to get it over with," Tomara Sullivan said. The answer turned out to be something Sullivan was born with, an extra pathway in heart. Surgeons froze this pathway to prevent her body's electrical currents from entering that part of Sullivan's heart. This kept her heartbeat steady without medicine or a pacemaker. 

Sullivan spent three months slowly building back her cardio. The opportunity to get back on a soccer field was the light at the end of the tunnel during a difficult rehab. 

And then she got a letter.  A portion of the note, typed in purple font, reads: 

God has brought you through difficult times before, and I know He is going to help you make it through this one too. Until he does, our prayers are with you. Your faith and trust will make things better each day. May the Lord bless you and be with you and yours in a very special way. 

Written across the top, is a handwritten note: Proud of you Maguire. Keep up the fight. You will win this battle. And thank you for being a great Wildcat fan. 

Warm Regards, Bill Snyder

And the next time she heard from a K-State head coach, it was to offer her a scholarship. 

Read the full story via K-State Sports Extra

Learn more about the Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy

If you're a kid who has lost access to school, you've also lost recess and all the other opportunities for moving around during a school day. You've lost physical education classes and sports teams.

Families can find ways to cope, said Dr. Geetha Raghuveer, a pediatric cardiologist at Children's Mercy in Kansas City, Missouri. But it starts with knowing how vital it is for a child to stay physically active.

According to a 2020 report in Circulation written by an American Heart Association panel Raghuveer led, about 60% of U.S. youth have a less-than-healthy level of cardiorespiratory fitness.

The effects of low fitness are multifaceted, she said. "It's physical, it's cardiac, it's mental, it's academic, it's long term, it's short term."

"It helps a lot if the family can engage in physical fitness activities as a family as opposed to just telling the kid to go out and do something," Raghuveer said.

Read the full story via the American Heart Association

Learn more about Returning to School and the Community Safely

Meet Benjamin Gibson. He's been through a lot his first year of life. Five surgeries so far, now doctors at Children's Mercy are focusing on a heart defect that could require more procedures. But thanks to a monitoring program called CHAMP Benjamin gets to be at home between surgeries. 

"It was kind of eye-opening that wow, he can go home and be viable and just be a little baby and we can be home and you know they're going to be watching over us and they're going to be taking really good care of him," Benjamin's dad said. 

Parents provide daily information like heart rate. It goes straight to the CHAMP medical team along with a brief video. 

Ryan, a first-time dad in the middle of a pandemic dealing with all these health issues decided it was time for some levity during daily checks. He started throwing in dad jokes.

"Not only is it a bright spot for us, but it brought joy to the entire heart center," Melissa Elliott, CHAMP Nurse Practitioner said. 

See the whole story via KMBC

Learn more about CHAMP at Children's Mercy

A local teenager just went home with a new heart after a transplant at Children’s Mercy Hospital. A heart transplant during the COVID-19 pandemic presents more challenges, but this is a life-saving operation that couldn’t wait.

The 15-year-old has lived most of her life with a heart rhythm problem. She needed a transplant, and two weeks ago a donor heart became available. 

Because of COVID-19, her transplant team did take extra precautions before heading into surgery. Lauren and her mom are excited about the future, but they must get through quarantine first.

See the full story via KMBC 9

Learn more about the Heart Transplant Program at Children's Mercy