A baby girl is recovering in an Edmonton hospital after undergoing a heart transplant late Tuesday.
Heather Serna said her daughter Katherine has fought for eight months through unsuccessful surgeries and procedures and hasn't been able to live a normal life. But a transplant was the little girl's best chance.
And this mother finally got the call they wished for early Tuesday morning and the preparations soon began.
By 9 p.m. Wednesday, little Katherine was whisked away to undergo a heart transplant.
"They had to do a little more re-construction on her heart than I was anticipating because of her previous surgery...but they said she was holding her own," said Heather.
The next 24 hours are the most important ones of little Katherine's life. In that time, doctors say her body will accept or reject the new heart.
"I will never give up on my baby girl...she has pulled through so many shaky situations and she's proven that she wants to be with us," said the mother.
Dr. Lori West with the University of Alberta hospital transplant team agrees that Heather's daughter is a fighter. She battled through a gruelling eight hour surgery.
"This is a very critical time, the next 24 to 48 hours because not only has she been through a lot, but the donor organ has been through a lot as well," said West. "These early days are mostly recovery of the procedure itself. Katherine then will be benefiting that this new organ provides her, as it continues to recover, with normal pumping action that a heart provides in a normal way."
West said the challenge with infants is that surgeons don't have to just replace a heart, but essentially fix abnormalities from birth as well. But infants like Katherine have a remarkable ability to survive.
"Infant heart transplantation is actually very successful when you consider that the alternative is that these children have no future," said West.
This family was not alone in their wait for a new heart. More than 300 people are on waiting lists for various organ donations.
"We love the family that donated very much because it meant that we can take our girl home, so we thank you from the bottom of our hearts," said Heather.
In our area alone, five children are waiting for a new heart.
For more information on organ donation visit www.transplant.ca
With files from CTV's Dez Melenka
