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.
Dr. Garmany, Nicklaus Children's Heart Institute Fetal and Pediatric Cardiologist, diagnosed Kimberly's unborn son, Jack, with a congenital heart defect known as Transposition of the Great Arteries (TGA). This heart condition occurs when the two major arteries that carry blood from the heart to the lungs and the body are wrongly connected. Following the full diagnosis, experts at The Prenatal Program devised a care plan with Dr. Burke, Nicklaus Children's Heart Institute Cardiovascular Surgery Interim Chief, that included open-heart surgery.
As a newborn, Jack was transferred to the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) at Nicklaus Children's, where a team of pediatric heart experts led his care journey. During his 17-day stay, Jack was monitored by a multidisciplinary team of pediatric specialists, including cardiologists, neurologists, speech language pathologists, and Dr. Juan Bolivar, Nicklaus Children's Heart Institute Cardiac Intensivist, who reassured the family that Jack would be ok after being intubated. After surpassing all the hurdles, Dr. Burke performed open-heart surgery on Jack to complete an arterial switch, a procedure that rebuilds the heart and restores it to its normal anatomy and function.
Today, Jack is a healthy two-year-old learning to play soccer and keeping his family on their toes. Support families and children like Jack by donating today www.forwardforgenerations.org.
Published on: 6/3/2025