News
Our sister is a healthy young woman today who works as a pediatric cardiovascular intensive care unit nurse at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham, AL. My sister, Alexandra Montes de Oca, was born with transposition of the great arteries, a congenital heart defect that is incompatible with life. She required an immediate intervention with open heart surgery at only four days old. After a month of recovery in the hospital, she was able to go home. When she was 15 months old, she underwent a second open heart surgery in order to fix further complications from her congenital defect. Alexandra still has yearly check-ups and has had several cardiac catheterizations to fix minor problems related to her heart defect. Throughout this experience, Alexandra, my parents, my two siblings and myself have seen first-hand the many obstacles that one with a heart defect must overcome. Our family has an immense appreciation for the doctors, nurses, medical staff, and all others who are involved and contribute to the health and well-being of Alexandra. My family and I understand that heart disease is lifelong, and we therefore recognize the impact that the American Heart Association has on those with heart disease. We truly appreciate the American Heart Association’s focus on innovative research, improvement in public health policies and dedication to fighting heart disease. Our sister is a healthy young woman today who works as a pediatric cardiovascular intensive care unit nurse at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham, AL. Alexandra is an incredible role model who chooses to dedicate her life to helping young children with heart defects similar to her own. We are thankful to have Alexandra in our lives, and we therefore choose to give to the American Heart Association and support an organization that made her life and the lives of many others possible.