Peyton’s Story

We are honored to share the story of our second recipient. Peyton is 17 years old and currently inpatient at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Cardiac ICU. In 2009, Peyton became severely ill and in need of a heart transplant. She was placed on a transplant list and two weeks later she received a beautiful new heart.

While the heart transplant saved her life, she has not had an easy road. Through her childhood, she continued to be closely monitored and endured many more necessary medical testing and interventions. Two years later, due to medication she needed to take post heart transplant, she was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma. She endured three rounds of chemo, until thankfully the third round was a success, and she has been in remission for 12 years!

Peyton has recently been hospitalized for heart rejection, sixteen years after her heart transplant, and remains in critical condition. When she was first admitted it was thought that she may need a second heart transplant, however, Peyton has defied the odds and her heart continues to get stronger with each day. She is no longer on the support of ECMO and recently had her breathing tube removed! She still has a very long road to recovery and it is unknown how long she will need to stay in the hospital.

Her mother, Jessica, has remained by her side through it all and has been unable to work since Peyton’s most recent hospitalization. She also has a son; Peyton’s younger brother and she is doing her best to split time between the hospital and home. It has been difficult to balance a lengthy hospital stay and normal day-to-day life. Because of your generosity, Theo’s Gift was able to cover travel cost to and from the hospital, as well as housing costs while Peytons mother is unable to work. We are honored to have Peyton and her family as a recipient of Theo’s Gift.

Please join us in praying for Peyton’s continued recovery and strength for her family.