Texas Children's Heart Center

06/26/2025

We have a Williams Syndrome clinic because of Ben and his brother. 👨‍⚕️

When Ben Jacobs, PA, was growing up, his little brother Jimbo was diagnosed with Willams syndrome, a rare genetic condition that causes, among other symptoms, aortic stenosis and a gregarious, open personality.

But Ben didn’t understand the complexity of Jimbo’s condition until he watched Jimbo undergo heart surgery.

That moment inspired Ben to get into medicine, and later, found our Williams Syndrome Clinic—a one-stop shop for Williams patients, with a network of supporting physicians and specialists.

And it’s all because Ben saw the need for a clinic, then did something about it. Way to go, Ben!

Learn more about Ben, Jimbo and our Williams Syndrome Clinic at our link: http://ms.spr.ly/6187SLzc7

06/08/2025

Can friendship help you heal? Ask Axell and Bodie. 👦🏼👦🏼
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When Axell was admitted to our CICU last December, he instantly clicked with Bodie, whose room was right next door. They’d visit each other just to say hi and even held hands while on their way to the therapy gym. After being transferred to our CPCU, they still made it a mission to support and cheer each other on. ​
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In January, Axell finally received a Berlin heart to help his heart pump. He struggled to adjust at first—but what helped was watching Bodie, who already received the same Berlin heart, playing and exploring. That gave Axell the courage to be himself again. And his parents are forever grateful for the power of their friendship. ​
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“Thanks, Bodie, for helping Axell so much,” said Axell’s parents. “You're the sweetest kid we know.” ​
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"It's friends and families like these that truly make your experience doable while in the hospital" said Bodie's family. 💛

06/07/2025

Clear eyes, healthy hearts, can’t lose ❤️

Our Cardiac Sports Clearance Clinics provide comprehensive evaluations for student athletes to screen for heart-related concerns—because your child’s safety comes first.

The experts at the Texas Children's Heart Center provide in-depth testing, including:

✅ EKG
✅ Echocardiogram (ECHO)
✅ Heart rhythm monitoring
✅ Referrals for stress tests or cardiac MRI

These are some pics from a recent cardiac screening event, but you can make an appointment at our North Austin Campus or many Specialty Care locations across the Austin area. Schedule your appointment today at the link: http://ms.spr.ly/6185SolU7

05/24/2025

These hugs ❤️

For newborns and postpartum moms, skin-to-skin contact is powerful––it encourages bonding, stabilizes vitals, reduces stress and promotes healthy weight gain in infants. For mom, it can accelerate recovery and aid in breastmilk production. Yet little ones diagnosed with congenital heart disease who begin their lives in the CICU (Cardiac Intensive Care Unit) often miss out on that essential contact.

To raise awareness and educate families, the Heart Center held Camp Cuddles, part of a national skin-to-skin-athon event. Caregivers around the country were taught to hold their infants in a safe way, to their chest or via "hand hugs” on the baby's head and toes. They learned the benefits of skin-to-skin contact and bonded with their babies on a deeper level.

Here's to nurturing hearts, one hug at a time 🤱

05/13/2025

16-year-old Joel was born with a genetic heart disorder, but thanks to the support of Texas Children’s, his condition hasn’t stopped him from becoming a nationally ranked archer.

Learn more here: http://ms.spr.ly/6180SkfgI

Story and video by ABC13 Houston

05/09/2025

For Lauren, having the right teacher meant her hospitalization didn’t cause her to fall behind in school 📚

During her senior year of high school, Lauren developed endocarditis, a bacterial infection of the heart's inner lining. While she tried to stay on top of her schoolwork along with her treatments, she knew she needed help. That’s when our Schooling Program stepped in.

Alana, one of our coordinators, and her team helped Lauren catch up on her studies, especially college-level math, which was her biggest challenge. By the time she left our hospital 67 days later, she had an A in math.

“The biggest thing that stood out the most that I am forever thankful for is that when I got back to school, not only did she make sure I knew the material but she kept track of how many hours I was in her classroom which allowed me to walk with my class during graduation,” said Lauren.

Now 26 years old, Lauren is finishing up her degree with hopes of becoming a Game Warden. She’s also currently balancing being a mama with working at her local police department. Even years later, she’s so thankful to Alana and her team for going above and beyond.

For Lauren, having the right teacher meant her hospitalization didn’t cause her to fall behind in school 📚

During her senior year of high school, Lauren developed endocarditis, a bacterial infection of the heart's inner lining. While she tried to stay on top of her schoolwork along with her treatments, she knew she needed help. That’s when our Schooling Program stepped in.

Alana, one of our coordinators, and her team helped Lauren catch up on her studies, especially college-level math, which was her biggest challenge. By the time she left our hospital 67 days later, she had an A in math.

“The biggest thing that stood out the most that I am forever thankful for is that when I got back to school, not only did she make sure I knew the material but she kept track of how many hours I was in her classroom which allowed me to walk with my class during graduation,” said Lauren.

Now 26 years old, Lauren is finishing up her degree with hopes of becoming a Game Warden. She’s also currently balancing being a mama with working at her local police department. Even years later, she’s so thankful to Alana and her team for going above and beyond. 💫

04/29/2025

Two heart transplants make one real-life superhero 🦸

6-year-old Kamdyn's transplant journey began at nine months old when his mother learned that his heart was failing. He came to Texas Children's to be evaluated by a cardiologist.

His team diagnosed him with dilated cardiomyopathy and determined that a transplant was the best course of treatment. So, Kamdyn underwent the transplant surgery in 2020 with no apparent complications. But when he started pre-kindergarten three years later, they learned that wasn't the case.

At school, Kamdyn contracted a fever which lasted for 3 days, leading doctors to discover his abnormally high heartrate. Back to Texas Children's he went, and his team found that he had a failed graft. To repair it, he would need yet another transplant.

During this time, Kamdyn stayed in the Heart Center and celebrated his 6th birthday while there. He relied on a type of life support called ECMO while waiting for a new heart, which finally became available in December 2024. His surgery was a success! Kamdyn was able to go home just a few weeks later, and now, he's thriving as a friendly and curious little boy.

Kamdyn, you're a true hero, and everyone at the Heart Center is so proud of you❤️‍🩹

04/23/2025

What a Cardiology Fellow does in a typical day, beat by beat ❤️

Follow along with Travis as he takes us on a journey of what he does every day. From meeting with other fellows to caring for patients to celebrating the end of their treatment, his day is never dull!

To learn more about our cardiology department, visit the link: http://ms.spr.ly/6181SyioN

04/20/2025

An Easter egg hunt… outside? These heart patients hopped at the opportunity. 🐰

Our Heart Center kiddos and our VAD team made their way outdoors to get some fresh air, gather treats and enjoy some sweet boops from our resident Easter bunny, Noelle. 🥰

A special thanks to the Axe of Love and Kindness Foundation, a foundation started by the family of Axell, one of our heart patients. They donated 40 Easter baskets to the Cardiac Unit, making this holiday even more special.

Another big thank you to The Martinez family for donating over 150 Easter bags and snacks and The Haley Rasco Foundation for their generous donation of eggs, bag, and Easter bunny ears!

Happy Easter!🐣

04/10/2025

Join our walking team—link below! ❤️💪

Now is your chance to make a difference in the lives of adult congenital heart patients. Whether you want to join us on our walk or prefer to make a donation, you will help raise more funding and awareness than we ever could alone!

Join us
Saturday, April 26th
Houston Sports Park

Check-in: 9 AM
Opening ceremony: 10 AM

To join our team or to donate in support, visit http://ms.spr.ly/6184qFDor

03/11/2025

A breakthrough pacemaker that grows with Theo—and his dreams 💙

Theo, a lanky, lively 7-year-old, needed a pacemaker. But traditional devices often require multiple surgeries over time as kids grow—and he was going to grow a lot. After finding a case study featuring Dr. Das, his parents knew that was who they wanted to treat their son.

Using cutting-edge technology and unparalleled expertise, the Texas Children’s team performed the first-ever leadless pacemaker placement at the North Austin Campus— and the first one in a young child in Austin, period. This minimally invasive, custom-modified approach for leadless pacing in children doesn’t require a visible incision or pocket creation over the chest, is 10-times smaller than a traditional pacemaker and is contained entirely within the heart without attached leads (or wires) offering numerous advantages for Theo and his growth.

At a follow-up just 10 days after surgery, Theo was running, playing and feeling stronger than ever.

Theo’s parents want to thank Dr. Das, Dr. Howard, Dr. Hasti Sanandajifar and their team for innovating a custom treatment procedure and device.

“We hope Theo’s journey helps pave the way for other children in our Austin Community.”

03/10/2025

All of Pearland ISD is certified heart-safe 🙌🫀

Sudden cardiac arrest accounts for up to 30% of sudden deaths among ages 14-21 according to the American Heart Association. To protect children across Pearland, the Project ADAM team at the Texas Children’s Heart Center worked closely with schools across the entire district, educating teachers, students and staff about what to do in the event someone experiences a sudden cardiac arrest.

We helped schools create emergency response plans, taught staff how to perform CPR and use an AED and made students aware of sudden cardiac arrest and CPR.

Visit our Project ADAM page to learn more about our program and how you can help make your school heart safe http://ms.spr.ly/6187qMVO7