After an amazing experience as part of the Miles for Miracles Boston team, I am thrilled to be heading to the London Marathon this April. Over the last year, Sammy has continued to grow and flourish under the care of his team at Boston Children’s Hospital. He will likely undergo a third heart surgery in April 2025, which will God-willing, be his last. He will also become a big brother in May! Thank you for your generosity towards an incredibly meaningful cause.
You may forget his story so to recap: in 2022, Sammy was born here in Manchester, NH. As my brother and his wife were packing up ready to head home with their beautiful baby boy, the L&D nurses did a test on Sammy. If you have had children, you will remember this test because they draw blood from the bottom of each foot. It usually induces a lot of screaming and is the last test before discharge, typically done at 24 hours post birth. Unfortunately, Sammy didn't pass. The nurse tried again and again but he could not pass the test. He was taken to the NICU at a nearby hospital where it was discovered half of his heart was severely undeveloped. He was rushed to Boston Children's Hospital where he received a life saving surgery at 3 days old (coincidentally this was Marathon Monday). After several months of treatment, the team at BCH had managed to salvage the underdeveloped side of his heart and he had a second surgery at 4 months old. He will have another surgery this summer, which will hopefully be his last. The hope is that with the successful treatment plan that was developed by BCH doctors, he will be off the heart transplant list. I wish I could explain what his doctors have accomplished but it is simply too complex and frankly, blows my mind every time my brother explains it to me. Essentially, Sammy's blood "plumbing" has been rearranged to use gravity when possible (above his heart) and mixes non-oxygenated blood with oxygenated blood to allievate stress on his heart. Are you confused and bewildered?
The story is even more complicated because during some routine imaging last year, doctors discovered a Wilms tumor on Sammy's kidney. This was completely unrelated to his heart defect. Once again, BCH doctors used a pioneering surgery to save his kidney and life.
You may forget his story so to recap: in 2022, Sammy was born here in Manchester, NH. As my brother and his wife were packing up ready to head home with their beautiful baby boy, the L&D nurses did a test on Sammy. If you have had children, you will remember this test because they draw blood from the bottom of each foot. It usually induces a lot of screaming and is the last test before discharge, typically done at 24 hours post birth. Unfortunately, Sammy didn't pass. The nurse tried again and again but he could not pass the test. He was taken to the NICU at a nearby hospital where it was discovered half of his heart was severely undeveloped. He was rushed to Boston Children's Hospital where he received a life saving surgery at 3 days old (coincidentally this was Marathon Monday). After several months of treatment, the team at BCH had managed to salvage the underdeveloped side of his heart and he had a second surgery at 4 months old. He will have another surgery this summer, which will hopefully be his last. The hope is that with the successful treatment plan that was developed by BCH doctors, he will be off the heart transplant list. I wish I could explain what his doctors have accomplished but it is simply too complex and frankly, blows my mind every time my brother explains it to me. Essentially, Sammy's blood "plumbing" has been rearranged to use gravity when possible (above his heart) and mixes non-oxygenated blood with oxygenated blood to allievate stress on his heart. Are you confused and bewildered?
The story is even more complicated because during some routine imaging last year, doctors discovered a Wilms tumor on Sammy's kidney. This was completely unrelated to his heart defect. Once again, BCH doctors used a pioneering surgery to save his kidney and life.
If you are still reading, thank you. I would truly appreciate your support. I know the world is full of causes and this one is so near and dear to my heart. I will happily run in support of Sammy, to tell his brave story and to shed light on the miracles that this hospital performs each day. Money raised will fund research, support families in crisis and provide funding for treatments not covered by insurance. The race is soon approaching and I know I can count on you!
