Patient of the Month: Theodore


Published on: 03/15/2018

When she was just 18 weeks pregnant, Micheleen, learned that her baby would be born with a congenital heart defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), in which the left side of the heart is severely underdeveloped, as well as a cleft palate and cleft lip. A resident of North Florida, Micheleen and her fiance, Tyler, researched surgeons and hospitals that could treat their baby's condition, and landed on Nicklaus Children's Hospital, a nearly 10-hour drive from home.

Baby Theodore (or Tad, for short), was born in Miami a few weeks early and was brought to Nicklaus Children's by our LifeFlight team. At just 3-days-old, Tad had his first open heart surgery. At just 4-months, old, Tad has had several complicated surgeries and procedures, but he keeps fighting.

Help Tad and other patients like him get the expert medical care they need by making a donation to Nicklaus Children's Hospital below.

Read Previous Read Next

Related News

Patient of the Month: Jack

June 03, 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.

Sebastian’s Journey to Bottle Feeding

May 22, 2025 – For the Rodriguez-Bacero family, Sebastian’s birth was filled with mixed emotions when they unexpectedly learned their precious baby boy was born with Pierre Robin sequence, a rare condition characterized by a small lower jaw, a tongue far back in the mouth, and difficulty breathing.

The Future of Pediatric Cardiac Research at Nicklaus Children's Hospital

February 13, 2025 – In recognition of American Heart Month, the Nicklaus Children's Research Institute is celebrating the future of cardiac research at Nicklaus Children's Hospital. With decades of experience in pediatric cardiology, the new Chief of Cardiology, Shyam Sathanandam M.D., is enthusiastic about the future of clinical trials at Nicklaus Children's.

Saving Lives with a Sudden Cardiac Arrest Readiness Program

December 20, 2024 – Though rare, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in the young causes tragic events that impact the entire community. Roughly 7,000 people under the age of 18 will suffer a cardiac arrest annually in the U.S. Because of education and hands-on training to school faculty, countless lives have been saved nationally. In just two years, eight lives have been saved in South Florida schools.