Heart Institute 2025 Annual Report
- 2025 by the numbers Jump to by the numbers
- Surgical outcomes Jump to surgical outcomes
- Advocacy and community Jump to advocacy and community
- Research and innovation Jump to research and innovation
- Faculty and fellows Jump to faculty and fellows
- Stories of impact Jump to stories of impact
Making excellence the standard
In 2025, the Heart Institute continued to set the standard for pediatric and congenital heart care. We received our highest ranking yet from U.S. News & World Report — No. 2 in the nation for Cardiology and Heart Surgery among children’s hospitals. This recognition reflects the unwavering dedication, expertise and compassion of our entire team.
“2025 marked a year of extraordinary accomplishments and growth at the Heart Institute. We continued to set a standard of excellence, provided unparalleled congenital heart care and were proud to have received our highest national ranking yet by U.S. News & World Report. This recognition reflects the unwavering dedication, expertise and compassion of our entire team.”Jim Jaggers, MD, Chair of Pediatric Congenital Heart Surgery and Co-Director of the Heart Institute
2025 by the numbers
Our numbers mean a whole lot more than a head count. They represent lives saved, families given hope and memories made that may have never been.
Always growing
We’re constantly expanding to meet the rising demand for complex congenital heart care. Our team of more than 500 specialists spans more than 20 locations across Colorado, Montana, New Mexico and Wyoming, helping us treat children in need of heart care across the Rocky Mountain region and beyond. These numbers represent just some of the work we did in 2025:
“Throughout all our growth in 2025, our outcomes remain among the strongest in the nation and we continue to increase our patient volumes. Our accomplishments reflect the best of who we are — a team with many different skills, working together in the spirit of excellence and collaboration to provide the best possible care for the patients and families we serve.”Shelley Miyamoto, MD, FAHA, Chair of Pediatric Cardiology and Co-Director of the Heart Institute
Surgical outcomes
One of the best indicators of a medical program’s care is its outcomes. We share our outcomes publicly so families and the physicians that refer them feel confident that children coming here are getting the best complex cardiac treatment.
Advocacy and community
Our care reaches far beyond the walls of our hospitals. From advocating for our patients by contributing research for FDA approvals to planning events that bring families with shared medical experience together, our commitment to our community, patients and families remains strong and impactful.
Advocacy spotlight
Christopher Rausch, MD, and Courtney White, MS, have worked through education, outreach and legislative advocacy to help strengthen Colorado’s cardiac safety network by ensuring every school has and is prepared to use automated external defibrillators. Learn how Project ADAM is creating opportunities to save countless lives.
Now in its fifth year, the CINCO Program is setting the standard for how hospitals across the country approach neurodevelopmental care in children with congenital heart disease (CHD). Learn more about cardiac neurodevelopment and its impact on patients.
For one family, cardiac geneticist Katie Chatfield, MD, became the detective, advocate and doctor they needed. She helped diagnose Barth syndrome for one patient and supported the family until the FDA approved medicine he needed. Learn more about our Cardiac Genetics and Aortopathy Program.
Reaching out to our community and beyond
Climbing for kids
The Cardiac Climbers is a cycling team that rides each summer in the Courage Classic, the two-day bicycle tour at Copper Mountain and Children’s Colorado’s largest annual fundraising event of the year. This milestone year brought record-breaking success: an all-time high of $190,000 for the Heart Institute’s heart warriors, bringing their 20-year total to more than $2 million.
Cardiologist Jenny Zablah, MD, organized and led her first medical mission trip to El Salvador along with interventional cardiologist Ryan Leahy, MD, and cardiac anesthesiologist Billy McElroy, MD. By the end of the two-day mission, they had treated eleven children, performing five interventions: two to correct coarctations of the aorta, two diagnostic catheterizations for teenagers with single-ventricle heart disease, and a groundbreaking PDA stent procedure — the first pediatric PDA stent ever implanted in El Salvador.
Hearts in Action
Led by our cardiology fellows, Hearts in Action is a new service initiative designed to bring together the entire Heart Institute — fellows, faculty, staff and their families — to give back to the community. Since its launch in the spring of 2025, Hearts in Action has:
Hosted a volunteer event at the Ronald McDonald House where the team served dinner to patients and their families away from home
Cleaned up Westerly Creek Park
Partnered with We Don’t Waste to help other volunteers sort food for families in need
Participated in a donation drive with a kindergarten class in Montview Elementary School to hand out gift cards to every student
Recognizing the critical link between nutrition and heart health, the cardiology fellows recently launched a new initiative to screen for food insecurity in the Fellows Clinic. This fellow-led project, developed in collaboration with clinic medical assistants, nurses and leadership, uses the Hunger Vital Signs screening tool to identify families at risk. When a family screens positive, they are immediately provided with a list of local food resources.
Research and innovation
The Heart Institute is continuously conducting research to determine the best ways to care for children with congenital and acquired heart disease. In 2025, we participated in dozens of studies, published scores of research papers and earned millions in grants to continue vital research.
New research leadership
The Heart Institute formalized its growing research arm with the vision to be a top 3 pediatric heart disease research institution leading innovative science and developing the next generation of pediatric cardiovascular researchers.
Jesse Davidson, MD
Director, Heart Institute Research
Anastacia "Tasha" Garcia, PhD
Associate Director of Preclinical Research (T0)
Stephanie Nakano, MD
Associate Director of Translational Sciences (T1)
Emily Bucholz, MD, MPH
Associate Director, Heart Institute Research and Co-Director, Fetal Cardiology
Pediatric Heart Network leadership
Pediatric Heart Network (PHN) selected Children’s Colorado to join a consortium comprised of leading hospitals in the U.S. and Canada focused on research in congenital and acquired heart disease funded by the National Institutes of Health/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH/NBLI). Since joining, Children’s Colorado has assumed multiple leadership positions within the PHN.
Shelley Miyamoto, MD
Chair of FIORE/FIORELLO Protocol
Emily Bucholz, MD, MPH
Chair of Data Science Committee and Chair of Social Determinants of Health Committee
Amy Fung
Chair of PHN Core Day
New grants in 2025
Each year, our team continues to secure grants for impactful research. From exploratory studies to treatment-defining innovations, our research efforts represent the full spectrum of learning that can both open doors to new methods of care and refine treatments to improve outcomes.
National Institutes of Health (R01), Award Advances Neurodevelopment Research in Neonatal Heart Disease
“COMPASS Ancillary NeuroDevelopmental Outcomes (CAN-DO)”
National Institutes of Health (R01), Advance Prenatal Diagnosis of Coarctation of the Aorta through Fetal CMR
“Prenatal Diagnosis of Aortic Coarctation using Cardiac MRI”
Published work
In 2025, our faculty and fellows published more than 100 manuscripts in leading peer-reviewed journals from innovative diagnostic imaging and surgical techniques to long-term outcomes and health equity in pediatric cardiology. Here are just a few:
“Ventricular Assist Device Use in Pediatric Restrictive and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: An ACTION Registry Analysis”
By senior author Kathleen Simpson, MD
Read the publication in the ASAIO Journal
“Development of an Atlas for US Pediatric Acute Care”
By senior author Emily Bucholz, MD, MPH
Read the publication in the JAMA Pediatrics
“The International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation Guidelines for the Management of Pediatric Heart Failure (Update From 2014)”
By senior author Shelley Miyamoto, MD
Read the publication in the Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation
“Targeted Immunotherapy with Sphingosine-1-phosphate Improves Myocardial Contractility and Mitochondrial Function in a Novel Murine Ex Vivo Perfusion and Transplantation Model”
By senior author Matthew L. Stone, MD, PhD
Read the publication in the Journal of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery
“Cognitive Outcomes and Delirium After Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Program Implementation for Children with Congenital Heart Disease”
By Kelly R. Wolfe, PhD, ABPP-CN, and Jesse A. Davidson, MD, MPH, MSc
Read the publication in JAMA Network
Q: Advances and Answers
A strong pulse in research
This year, our dedicated research blog highlighted studies on innovations in imaging and diagnostic accuracy, including new cardiopulmonary exercise testing models that account for altitude-related effects and advancements in fetal cardiac MRI that are transforming prenatal care.
Faculty and fellows
Our continuously expanding faculty demonstrates our dedication to building the best medical team. We foster talent and promote those that show great promise. Our vibrant fellows program not only helps us educate the next generation of cardiologists and heart specialists for our hospital, but for many across the nation.
New faculty
We could not be more thrilled to have welcomed 16 new faculty members to the Heart Institute over the course of the year — each bringing expertise, fresh perspectives and a shared passion for advancing children’s heart health. Their diverse backgrounds and innovative approaches strengthen our commitment to providing exceptional care, driving groundbreaking research and training the next generation of pediatric cardiology leaders. Together, they represent an exciting new chapter in our future.
Matthew Campbell, MD
Dr. Campbell brings nearly a decade of faculty experience and leadership in pediatric cardiology, with expertise in advanced imaging and exercise physiology. His clinical and academic interests center on advanced cardiac imaging, exercise physiology and optimizing care delivery for children with congenital and acquired heart disease.
Adam Denson, CPNP-AC
Denson is an accomplished pediatric nurse practitioner with extensive expertise in cardiac care, interventional radiology and critical care. Previously, Denson served at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in interventional radiology and pediatric intensive care where he developed innovative workflows, precepted new advanced practice providers and enhanced procedural training.
Aditi Gupta, MBBS
Dr. Gupta is a pediatric cardiologist and non-invasive imager who joined the Heart Institute in November 2025. An active investigator, Dr. Gupta has led multiple imaging-focused research projects, including studies on pediatric heart transplant pathology, deep-learning MRI reconstruction and congenital heart disease.
Andrew Headrick, MD, MPH
Dr. Headrick joined the Heart Institute in September 2025 as an acute care hospitalist and electrophysiologist. His academic work spans electrophysiology, global health and health equity, with current projects examining social drivers of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, electrophysiology training curricula and resource needs in low- and middle-income countries.
Samantha Holmes, MD
Dr. Holmes is a pediatric cardiologist on the cardiovascular imaging team at Children’s Colorado. Dr. Holmes brings a strong foundation in congenital and pediatric cardiovascular care with a growing expertise in advanced echocardiography and multimodality imaging.
Kelsey Iguidbashian, MD
Dr. Iguidbashian is a pediatric cardiologist at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Children’s Colorado where she works in the Cardiac Progressive Care Unit as an acute care hospitalist. Her professional interests include congenital heart disease, trainee advocacy and improving multidisciplinary care delivery.
Yelin Lee, MD
Dr. Lee is a board-certified pediatric anesthesiologist with advanced fellowship training in pediatric anesthesia and pediatric cardiac anesthesiology from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Lee’s clinical interests center on the perioperative care of neonates and children with complex congenital heart disease.
Erin Lencioni, PA-C
Lencioni joined us as an inpatient advanced practice provider in November 2025. Her expertise spans performing detailed histories and physical exams, developing and implementing treatment plans, prescribing medications and integrating laboratory and diagnostic studies into patient care. She has advanced training in recognizing arrhythmias, programming pacemakers and ICDs and managing remote monitoring for implanted cardiac devices.
Keila N. Lopez, MD, MPH
Dr. Lopez joined the Heart Institute in September 2025. She is the first to hold the role of Director of Health Policy and Faculty Development in addition to her clinical role as a pediatric cardiologist and echocardiographer. She also holds the Jack Cooper Millisor Chair in Pediatric Heart Disease.
Mariah Miller, DNP, PNP
Miller is a dedicated pediatric acute care nurse practitioner and educator with extensive experience in critical care, orthopedic and trauma settings. She joined the Heart Institute as an instructor and advanced practice provider on the Heart Transplant/Heart Failure team after having worked within the Department of Orthopedics at Children’s Colorado.
Shannon Murray, MD
Dr. Murray specializes in adult congenital heart disease with dual board certification in pediatrics and internal medicine. Dr. Murray brings a unique multidisciplinary perspective grounded in her combined internal medicine and pediatrics background and advanced training across the lifespan of congenital heart disease care.
Jena Riechers, PA
Riechers is a board-certified physician assistant now serving as an inpatient advanced practice provider within the Heart Institute. Prior to her current role, she served as a PA specializing in pediatric hospital medicine within Children’s Colorado.
Charlotte Schaffer, MD
Dr. Schaffer is a cardiac intensivist and acute care hospitalist within the Heart Institute. Board-certified in pediatrics and pediatric cardiology, Dr. Schaffer’s clinical and research interests focus on high-acuity congenital heart disease, quality improvement and global pediatric health.
Charles Simpkin, DO
Dr. Simpkin is a pediatric cardiologist with specialized training in advanced echocardiography and pediatric pulmonary hypertension at Children’s Colorado and an Assistant Professor of Pediatric Cardiology at the University of Colorado. His academic interests include advanced cardiac imaging, pulmonary vascular disease, congenital anatomy education and improving diagnostic precision in complex pediatric cardiovascular conditions.
Shelby Smiley, DNP, PNP-AC
Smiley is a pediatric acute care nurse practitioner with extensive experience in pediatric critical care and quality improvement initiatives. She currently practices in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Colorado, where she provides comprehensive assessments and care for critically ill patients, develops individualized care plans and collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to ensure optimal patient outcomes.
Benjamin Smith, MD
Dr. Smith plays a strategic role in our outpatient cardiology outreach clinics. We are fortunate that he is not deterred by cold weather and snow as he regularly travels to Billings, Montana; Cheyenne and Laramie, Wyoming; and Loveland and Greeley, Colorado.
Adel Younoszai, MD
Dr. Younoszai is a distinguished pediatric cardiologist and academic leader with extensive expertise in cardiac imaging and child health. He has directed echocardiography and cardiac imaging programs for nearly two decades, advancing pediatric cardiovascular care and education. After a brief hiatus, Dr. Younoszai returned to Children’s Colorado in 2025 and is serving as the Medical Director of Cardiac Imaging.
New leadership
Our mission to provide exceptional, compassionate cardiac care to children is strengthened by the extraordinary leaders who guide our teams each day. This year, we are proud to recognize our esteemed colleagues who have advanced into new leadership roles.
Emily Bucholz, MD, MPH
Associate Director, Heart Institute Research and Co-Director, Fetal Cardiology
Dale Burkett, MD
Director, Echocardiography
Matthew Campbell, MD
Director, Heart Institute Informatics
Jesse Davidson, MD
Director, Heart Institute Research
Richard Ing, MD
Medical Director, Congenital Cardiac Anesthesiology
Roni Jacobsen, MD
Medical Director, Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program
Keila N. Lopez, MD, MPH
Director of Health Policy and Faculty Development
Hanna Roberts, DNP
Director, Simulation Lab
Megan SooHoo, MD
Medical Director, Single Ventricle Program
Trevor Williams, MD
Co-Director, Fetal Cardiology
Endowed chairs
Endowed chairs represent one of the highest honors an academic medical institution can bestow, recognizing exceptional leadership, innovation and commitment to advancing pediatric cardiovascular care. Congratulations to Dr. Lopez and Dr. Stone, who embody the Heart Institute’s mission to transform the future of children’s heart health through excellence in clinical care.
Keila N. Lopez, MD, MPH
The Jack Cooper Millisor Chair in Pediatric Heart Disease
Matthew Stone, MD, PhD
The Meg F. Rady and Family Chair in Congenital Cardiac Surgery
Faculty spotlight
After more than 20 years with us, Dr. Joseph Kay will be joining the Cardiac Center at Nemours Children’s Health in Delaware. Dr. Kay has been a true pioneer in the field of adult congenital heart disease (ACHD), making critically important contributions throughout his tenure.
Among his many achievements at Children’s Colorado and University of Colorado Hospital, Dr. Kay established the Colorado’s Adult and Teen Congenital Heart (CATCH) Program and has worked to ensure that teens and adults with CHD receive the best possible care. He has been a national leader in implementing ACGME accreditation for the ACHD fellowship program and many of his prior fellows are faculty at prestigious academic institutions around the country.
In his new role, he’ll have the opportunity to launch a brand new ACHD program and there are few in the country better positioned to accomplish this task. We wish Joe the absolute best as he embarks on this exciting new chapter and will do all we can to continue to honor his legacy in Colorado.
Fellows
Our Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program continues to thrive, attracting exceptional physicians dedicated to advancing the care of children with heart disease. This year, we are proud to introduce a diverse and talented group that will help shape the future of pediatric cardiology for years to come.
First year fellows
- Alexandra Madison Curry, DO
- Kyle Barrington Grimes, MD
- Maya Padma Mahendran, MD
- Phuong “PJ” Tran, MD
- Margaret “Meg” Van Der Bosch, MD
Second year fellows
- Khalifa Abdulhadi M. Aldawsari, MD
- Ricardo Pedro Jesus Cabrera, MD
- Elaina Loughran Cummer, MD
- Michael Philip Gould, MD
- Kelsey Alexa Wilson, MD
Third year fellows
- Hannah Hollon, MD
- Umakanthan Kavin, MD
- Aidan Reid, DO
Advanced fellows
- Maria Fouad Abou Nader, MD: Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care
- Tracey Crooks, MD: Advanced Training in Adult Congenital Heart Disease
- Chris Iskander, MD: Pediatric Interventional Congenital Cardiology
- Mehmet Kucuk, MD: Pediatric Interventional Congenital Cardiology
- Benjamin Olsen, MD: Pediatric Heart Failure and Transplant
- Nithya Swaminathan, MD: Pediatric Advanced Cardiac Imaging
Advanced fellow spotlight
Dr. Tracey Crooks received the American Academy of Pediatrics 2025 Trainee Research Award for her proposal entitled “Observational Study of the Impact of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors on Skeletal Muscle.” This award is also supported by The Children’s Heart Foundation (CHF) and will provide Dr. Crooks and her team with $35,000 to perform her study investigating the impact of SGLT2-inhibitors on skeletal muscle mitochondrial function in exercise-limited Fontan patients. Dr. Crooks is mentored by Roni Jacobsen, MD, and Shelley Miyamoto, MD, from the Heart Institute and Melanie Cree, MD, from the Department of Pediatric Endocrinology.
Graduated fellows
Our seven graduating fellows continue to distinguish themselves as incredible clinicians, scholars and leaders in the field. Their collective accomplishments reflect the strength of our fellowship program and their dedication to advancing pediatric heart care for children everywhere.
Nadia Chaudhry-Waterman, DO
- Current role: Critical Care Fellow, Boston Children's Hospital
Charles D. Fraser, III, MD
- Current role: Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Texas Center for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease
Samantha Holmes, MD
- Current role: Cardiac Imager, Children's Hospital Colorado/Assistant Professor, University of Colorado
Kelsey G. Iguidbashian, MD
- Current role: Cardiac Acute Care Hospitalist, Children’s Hospital Colorado/Assistant Professor, University of Colorado
Shannon Murray, MD
- Current role: ACHD Provider, Children’s Hospital Colorado/Assistant Professor, University of Colorado
Saneeha Shaheed, MD
- Current role: Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Chicago/Comer Children's Hospital and Advocate Children’s Hospital in Chicago
Charles T. Simpkin, DO
- Current role: Cardiac Imager, Children's Hospital Colorado/Assistant Professor, University of Colorado
Graduated fellow spotlight
Charles Simpkin, DO, received a grant in 2024 from Matthew’s Hearts of Hope Foundation to improve the ability to screen and diagnose pulmonary arterial hypertension in children with a history of atrioventricular septal defect repair. Dr. Simpkin conducted the project as part of his fourth-year cardiac imaging fellowship, which concluded in June of 2025. The grant wraps up in January 2026 and the final manuscript is under review as of the close of 2025.
In 2025, Dr. Simpkin also received the Owen McKinnon Pilot Award for Pediatric Pulmonary Hypertension Research in the amount of $50,000 over 1 year. The study explores the complex flow dynamics in neonates at risk for developing lung disease using novel echocardiographic techniques. They hope the results will help improve our understanding of how we evaluate infants with volume loading lesions and bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
Awards and appointments
We had several team members appointed to important positions within the medical community and among nonprofit organizations and some who received prestigious awards. These appointments and awards are a testament to the passion and dedication that we show not just in our hospital, but across the country.
Shelley D. Miyamoto, MD, FAHA: Chair of the American Heart Association’s Scientific Publishing Committee
Kathleen Simpson, MD: Vice President of Pediatric Heart Transplant Society
Carly Scahill, DO, MSCR: Board of Directors for the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society
Keila N. Lopez, MD, MPH: National Medical Advisory Council for Make-A-Wish Foundation
Emily Bucholz, MD, MPH: Emerging Leader in Health and Medicine Scholar by the National Academy of Medicine
Dustin Nash, MD: Pediatric Heart Network Scholar Award
Heart Institute Grand Rounds
This year marked the launch of our Heart Institute Grand Rounds, highlighting our faculty’s commitment to continuous learning and knowledge exchange. Kathryn Collins, MD, played a critical role in launching the series and Sherrill Caprarola, MD, did an excellent job of taking on the responsibility for the ongoing management of the lectures. We had a number of experts present, both from Children’s Colorado and other organizations:
Keila N. Lopez, MD, MPH: "Good Trouble: Mobilizing Research and Health Policy to Promote Health Equity"
Former Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Cardiology at Baylor College of Medicine and Director of Transition Program at Texas Children’s Hospital. Currently, Dr. Lopez is the Director of Health Policy and Faculty Development at Children’s Colorado and the Jack Cooper Millisor Chair in Pediatric Heart Disease.
Shubhayan Sanatani, MD: "Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia: Reflecting on the Past 40 Years"
Division Head of Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Director and Section Head of Heart Rhythm Service, Professor of Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine at University of British Columbia
Joseph W. Turek, MD, PhD, MBA: "Pediatric Heart Transplantation: Understanding History to Shape the Future"
Chief of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at Duke University Medical Center
Shabnam Peyvandi, MD, MAS: "Early Life Markers of Brain Health in Congenital Heart Disease: From Research to Clinical Applications"
Professor of Children’s Health, University of California - San Francisco and Director of Pediatric Cardiovascular Research and Associate Director of Fetal Cardiovascular Program at Benioff Children’s Hospital
Gareth J. Morgan, MD: "Lifetime Management of the RVOT: The Russian Doll Paradox"
Medical Director of Interventional Cardiology, Heart Institute at Children’s Hospital Colorado and Professor of Pediatrics, Cardiology at University of Colorado School of Medicine
Matthew L. Stone, MD, PhD: "Ex Vivo Heart Perfusion and Targeted Therapies for Donor Heart Treatment in Transplantation"
The Meg F. Rady and Family Chair in Congenital Cardiac Surgery, Heart Institute at Children’s Hospital Colorado and Associate Professor, Division of Congenital Cardiac Surgery at University of Colorado School of Medicine
Alex J. Barker, PhD: "Fetal Cardiac MRI for the In-Utero Assessment of Congenital Heart Disease: A Translational Journey"
Director, Advanced Imaging Lab and Vice Chief of Pediatric Radiology Research at Children's Hospital Colorado and Professor of Radiology and Bioengineering at University of Colorado, Anschutz
Stories of impact
We had stories of hope and triumph in 2025, of innovation and advancement, and of personal accomplishment and hospital-wide success. Here are just a handful of those stories told by our doctors, patients and the media.
Voices in pediatric cardiology
Children’s Colorado’s Charting Pediatrics podcast has 2.3M lifetime downloads and has reached 187 countries, helping our doctors reach more people across the world. Our Spanish-language podcast, Pediatras en Línea, has 98K lifetime downloads and has reached 107 countries.
Cracking the Cardiac Code
Director of the Cardiac Genetics and Aortopathy Program, Katie Chatfield, MD, explored a host of genetic-related topics including how to identify which children should receive a cardiac genetics evaluation and distinguishing inherited, spontaneous and mutation-based diseases.
Downloaded 1,966 times in 69 countries (and counting).
Long-Term Care for Adult Congenital Heart Disease
Director of the Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) Program, Roni Jacobsen, MD, examined what long-term care looks like for ACHD. She discussed the critical transition to adulthood for patients with congenital heart lesions and explored key topics such as defining adult congenital heart disease and how it differs from other cardiac conditions.
Downloaded 1,691 times in 61 countries (and counting).
Silenciando a tu Crítico Interno con la Dra. Jenny Zablah (Silencing your Inner Critic with Dr. Jenny Zablah)
Director of the Pulmonary Vein Stenosis Program and Cath Lab Advanced Imaging Program, Jenny Zablah, MD, discussed the importance of quieting one’s inner voice and reshaping self-talk — an essential practice for healthcare professionals striving to maintain their own wellbeing while navigating the demands of a challenging field.
Listened to in 30 countries (and counting) with the most listeners in Mexico, Peru, Argentina, Spain and the U.S.
Media highlights
Dual-organ transplant marks new era
More than two years ago, our cardiology and hepatology teams began planning for a surgery they had never completed before at Children’s Colorado. In fact, only 38 pediatric heart-liver dual transplants had ever been performed in the U.S. That careful preparation would ultimately be lifesaving for Gracie, an 11-year-old with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), whose dual-transplant was performed last year.
From the other side of the world to our doorstep
Fourteen-year-old Manasse came to Colorado from Namibia as a political refugee last October with his family. His love of basketball put him on the high school team. In January, he collapsed during a game and was unresponsive with no pulse. Thanks to quick-thinking trainers, an onsite automated external defibrillator and sharp first responders, Manasse was revived before he reached the hospital.
Allyson’s fried pickle petition catches the limelight
Allyson had a lengthy stay at Children's Colorado post-heart transplant. When the food in our cafeteria wasn't satisfying her cravings during recovery, she took matters into her own hands and crafted a petition to add fried pickles to the menu.
Kinsley meets an unlikely friend with the same heart condition
A tough medical experience can be a little easier when you meet someone who has gone through something similar — even if his breath smells like fish. Steppy, an endangered African penguin, and Kinsley were both diagnosed with heart murmurs when they were babies. But thanks to the dedicated care they received, they’re now happy and healthy.
Mason gets a new heart faster than most
Mason was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and had his first open heart surgery at just four days old. After several more complications and procedures, doctors decided he needed a heart transplant. In just 28 days, he went from a second open heart surgery to a heart transplant.
Lainey’s parents thrown a curveball
As a pitcher for the Colorado Rockies, Lucas knows a thing or two about curveballs. But he and his wife got a much different one at the couple’s 20-week ultrasound, when they learned their daughter would be born with several heart conditions. The very next day, they had an appointment at Children’s Colorado for scans to confirm and learn more about their daughter’s diagnosis: an interrupted aortic arch.