Sara Smith is a happy, active four-and-a-half-year old who lives in Main Brook, on our province’s Northern Peninsula. She looks like any other toddler — except that Sara was born with half a heart.
Sara has been diagnosed with a number of congenital heart defects, including: hypoplastic right heart, pulmonary stenosis, double outlet right ventricle, transposition of the vessels and a ventricular septal defect.
At just six weeks old, Sara had her first open-heart surgery at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). Unfortunately, in recovery, Sara went into cardiac arrest for 35 minutes and she was placed on life support for three days. Due to further complications, Sara required a second open-heart surgery just five weeks later. Due to her size, her recovery was slow, but overall, it was much smoother.
In April 2017, Sara and her family found themselves back at SickKids for Sara’s third open-heart surgery. Again, Sara faced some challenges that necessitated they extend their stay at the hospital.
During all of Sara’s surgeries and recovery, she required many blood transfusions and other vital blood products from Canadian Blood Services. They literally gave her “the gift of life.” And, now, Sara’s parents, Dave and Danielle (Galgay) Smith encourage others to consider the impact donating blood can have on others like Sara.
“We are so grateful to all those who have donated, and we encourage everyone to consider giving the gift of life,” Danielle says.
Leave a Reply