Avianna is small but mighty—a toddler-aged pioneer who has made heart transplants easier for other kids.
She was born with severe heart defects, and her family traveled from upstate New York to Boston Children’s for expert care. During the months-long wait for a heart transplant, she needed an artificial heart—an external device that takes over when a patient’s heart can’t pump enough blood to the lungs.
The typical artificial heart is large and heavy (150 pounds), which confines children awaiting transplants to their hospital beds and can stunt their growth and development. But Boston Children’s Hospital had just joined a clinical trial of a smaller, portable artificial heart—and Avianna’s family volunteered to try it.
Avianna was the first patient at Boston Children’s—and one of the first in the U.S.—to test the smaller, user-friendly artificial heart and the custom stroller to carry it.
With the device, Avianna and her family could roam the hospital, visiting indoor gardens, play areas and “fishies” in the aquarium. During these outings, Avi learned new skills and met developmental milestones. There were social and emotional benefits, too: “Having alone time to bond with Avianna as we walked around the hospital was a big deal,” her mom, Yaira, says.
Avianna had a successful heart transplant at 21 months old and went home healthy. She returns to Boston Children’s periodically for care. Her family is proud to have participated in the clinical trial so that other kids can receive lifesaving care, too.
