Meet Valerie!
Valerie was diagnosed with the congenital heart defect Tetralogy of Fallot before she was born. Because of complications from being an identical twin, she arrived 10 weeks early and weighed less than 2 pounds. She spent the first three months of her life in the NICU in Fargo, and during that time, she was transported to the University of Minnesota for open-heart surgery to repair the major defects in her heart.
For the past eight years, Valerie has been closely followed by cardiology. Recently, her medical team determined it was time to replace her pulmonary valve. They weren’t sure at first whether the procedure could be done transcatheter or if it would require another open-heart surgery, but thankfully, they were able to place her new pulmonary valve using the catheter approach. After two long days of appointments and imaging, six hours in the operation room, and one night in the ICU, Valerie was able to return home.
Valerie had been anxious about the trip to Minnesota and the surgery itself, but her Miracle Moment helped ease so many of her fears. She had a wonderful time playing at the water park after her appointments and exploring SEA LIFE and the Mall of America. It gave her—and her family—joy, comfort, and lasting memories during an incredibly stressful time.