The First Pulmonary Ozaki in Florida and Among the First in the Nation, done at Nicklaus Children's Heart Institute: Meet Victoria

March 19, 2026 –

Eleven-year-old Victoria, an energetic swimmer and big sister, underwent open-heart surgery to repair her pulmonary insufficiency. Dr. David Kalfa and the cardiovascular surgery team reconstructed her valve using her own pericardial tissue through the Ozaki Procedure.

Tiny but Mighty: 1.2LB Baby Girl Leaves NICU After Three Months

March 04, 2026 –

Just a few days after baby girl Pierson was born, when she still weighed only 1.2 lb, a small catheter was placed through her vein to deliver a tiny device to treat her congenital heart defect all while she remained in her incubator.

Patient of the Month: Madison

November 30, 2025 –

Madison’s fight for life began just days after being born with a heart defect that required lifesaving surgery.

Patient of the Month: Jack

May 29, 2025 –

Kimberly's pregnancy was going well until a 20-week anatomy scan revealed concerns for her baby boy. After this initial shock, the family turned to The Prenatal Heart Program at Nicklaus Children's Heart Institute for further evaluation.

Jamie's Heart Saved Thanks to a Free EKG Screening

March 25, 2025 – Jamie was found to have a heart condition thanks to a free EKG screening held at a City of Miami summer camp in 2024. Nicklaus Children’s and the City of Miami joined forces to extend the hospitals free EKG screenings program to children in City of Miami parks. Jamie’s heart was repaired in the hospital’s cardiac catheterization laboratory and his family can feel comforted in knowing his heart is healthy.

Against the Odds: Jack's Fight for Life

February 04, 2025 – Kimberly and her husband learned their unborn son, Jack, had a congenital heart defect (Transposition of the Great Arteries), and after being referred to Nicklaus Children's Hospital for specialized care, Jack underwent open-heart surgery within days of his birth, leaving his future uncertain.

Jamie's Heart Story

October 28, 2024 – Jamie was found to have a congenital heart condition thanks to a free EKG screening held at a City of Miami summer camp in 2024.

Madison's Success Story

May 30, 2023 – Madison was born with a heart defect called truncus arteriosus. Despite having open-heart surgery at Nicklaus Children's when just 4 years old, she hasn't slow down one bit. From an early age she's enjoyed dancing, even competing. Now, she's in the race for the title of Miss Florida Teen USA!

Jacob's Success Story

February 09, 2023 – Before he was born, Jacob was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Overcoming multiple surgeries, he started experiencing seizures and even had a stroke. Now, with a combination of medications that helped him manage his seizures and keep his heart rate stable, Jacob is attending high school for students with special abilities and enjoys cooking and dancing.

Yuray's Heart Story

January 11, 2023 – Yuray Rodriguez was only 15 days old when he underwent heart surgery at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital to repair a condition known as Coaction of the Aorta, a narrowing of the aorta that can lead to heart failure and high blood pressure. Now in college, one would never know he was born with a serious heart defect, if it wasn’t for a scar that runs down his chest.

Patient of the Month: Kateryna

December 05, 2022 – After being diagnosed with a heart defect in her home country of Ukraine, Kateryna needed surgery for treatment and full recovery. Then, because of the war, her family fled while still seeking medical. Finally, the family was referred to Dr. Daniel Duarte, a pediatric interventional cardiologist at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.

Cardiac Catheterization Procedure Helps Jackson's Start to Life

October 14, 2022 – Baby Jackson, born after only 24 weeks of gestation, was very fragile and required oxygen around the clock. His parents were referred to Nicklaus Children's Hospital to repair his patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) a congenital heart defect that occurs commonly in premature infants.

High School Wrestler Saved After Experiencing Cardiac Arrest

May 24, 2022 – Shortly after his 17th birthday, Miami Southridge Senior High School athlete Javon underwent cardiac arrest during wrestling practice. Thanks to the fast actions and lifesaving efforts of the athletic staff and their use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), Javon's heart was stabilized and he was transferred to Nicklaus Children's Hospital for care. 

 

Patient of the Month: Alexandra

February 23, 2022 – Born prematurely and with heart complications, Alexandra was described as a miracle baby. Just months old, she experienced respiratory distress and was eventually airlifted to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital to undergo multiple surgeries.

Taylor Outruns Heart Disease To Graduate College and Complete a Marathon

February 04, 2022 – Taylor was born at 28 weeks at St Mary's Hospital and was transferred to Nicklaus Children's hospital due to her patent ductus arteriosus. She was also diagnosed with tetralogy of Fallot, a combination of four heart defects that affects one in approximately 2,500 children. Today, Taylor is a healthy 21-year-old who has completed three half marathons and recently her first full marathon.

Gabrien's Story

January 14, 2022 – During a routine ultrasound early in her pregnancy, Rebecca Jones and her husband Brent were devastated to learn there was something wrong with their baby’s heart. The expectant parents learned their baby, Gabrien, had a rare heart defect called transposition of the great arteries, a condition in which the two main arteries leaving the heart are reversed. Their obstetrician referred them to Dr. David Drossner, a pediatric cardiologist and director of outpatient cardiology at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. 

Surgeons Use Mixed Reality to Plan Rosemaylee's Complex Heart Surgery

June 01, 2021 – Rosemaylee has always been an active child. The 13-year-old’s cheerleading activities came to an abrupt halt when her pediatrician noticed a heart murmur that had previously gone undetected. Further evaluation revealed she had a serious and complex heart condition. The Advanced Projects Laboratory at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital created multiple three dimensional models of her heart to plan the complicated surgery.

Alia's New Beginning

May 11, 2021 – Alia is one of the smallest babies to undergo open-heart surgery and one of the tiniest in the world to survive and thrive after her complex operation. Baby Alia faced several life-threatening problems when she was born three months early, creating unique new challenges even for veteran congenital heart surgeon, Dr. Redmond Burke.

Patient of the Month: Ezra

February 15, 2021 – Ezra was diagnosed with several heart defects and needed immediate corrective surgery. After being airlifted to Nicklaus Childrens Hospital, the Division of Cardiovascular Surgery team was ready and waiting. Since that first visit, Ezra has undergone two successful heart surgeries and will need an additional operation to accommodate his recent growth, but he's on track to living a happy, healthy life!

Patient of the Month: Lavondre

January 01, 2021 – At three weeks old, baby Lavondre was diagnosed with Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), which means he had a hole in the wall that separates the right and left lower chambers of the heart, and he needed surgery to survive.