Akron Children’s Fetal Cardiology program offers advanced diagnostics and management of congenital heart disease in unborn babies. The program is led by pediatric cardiologist Chandrakant R. Patel, MD, director of maternal fetal cardiology. Fetal cardiology services, including fetal echocardiograms, are provided on the Akron Children’s Hospital campuses in Akron and Boardman and at Akron Children’s […]
From operating room to viral stardom: 10-year-old gains a following on TikTok
Aubree Blake, age 10, is a bit of a TikTok star thanks to her candid videos sharing her experiences as a young lady living with a heart condition. At 8 days old, Aubree was diagnosed with a coarctation of the aorta, a birth defect where a portion of the aorta is narrower than usual causing […]
Mending tiny hearts: Surgery for congenital heart defect gives 6-year-old a healthy future
Leonardo Velazquez Miller is an active, healthy 6-year-old who loves to swim and play soccer in his hometown of Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. Looking at him now you wouldn’t suspect he was born with Dextro-Transposition of the Great Arteries or d-TGA, a congenital heart defect (CHD) where the 2 main arteries carrying blood out of […]
Diane Bueker plans a retirement full of travel, music and fun
Diane Bueker, pediatric cardiac sonographer, wanted 2 things as a teenager: to work in the medical field and volunteer with the Peace Corps. At age 16, Diane achieved her first goal when she began working for a private practice surgeon. But being part of a service opportunity that changed lives took a lot longer to […]
Akron Children’s work in Haiti is showcased in ‘Open Hearts,’ a CIFF documentary
Akron Children’s work with St. Damien Hospital in Haiti takes center stage in a new film being shown at the 2021 Cleveland International Film Festival. The 59-minute film, called “Open Hearts,” can be streamed for $10 from April 8 to 20. Of that, a $1 donation goes to the nonprofit MedWish. You can watch a […]
Surgery to repair leaky valve mends 4-year-old’s “broken” heart
Addisyn Piekarski and her mom, Kristen, had just the right outfit in mind for Addisyn’s Jan. 13 follow-up appointment with her heart surgeon, Dr. Robert Stewart. Sporting a shirt covered in small hearts, with a large, sequin heart in the center, seemed fitting to meet with the man who just 8 days earlier had repaired […]
