Baby Lily Gets A New Heart

Baby Lily, the infant who was to receive a heart transplant from Baby Kaylee, received a new heart on June 23, 2009. The Prince Edward Island child is doing well after the six-hour surgery.

Lily was diagnosed while still in the womb with truncus arteriosus, a heart defect that causes a lack of enough oxygen in the blood. Her parents were warned that she could be a stillborn. On March 9 parents Melanie Bernard and Kevin O'Connor welcomed their baby girl into the world. She needed urgent medical care from birth. Generally truncus arteriosus can be corrected with surgery. Lily had other heart problems though. The only way the infant could survive for more than a few weeks or a few months was if she had a heart transplant. The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto reports:

“I am extremely happy for baby Lillian and her family. A lifesaving transplant means a second chance at life,” says Frank Markel, President and CEO of Trillium Gift of Life Network. “This transplant was possible because of the generosity of a family who made the decision to donate their loved one’s organs and save the precious lives of others. I would also like to congratulate the transplant team at SickKids."

With Lily's new heart her parents are finally able to think about a future for their tiny daughter. Lily will stay in hospital for up to eight weeks while doctors monitor her for signs of rejection. She will need to take medication to prevent rejection for the rest of her life.