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Our Kids - Meet Ryley

When Ryley was only two months old, she began vomiting and showed signs of laboured breathing. In September 2005, she was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy - a fatal heart defect. She was transferred to SickKids in Toronto.

Ryley

Ryley, Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Dilated cardiomyopathy occurs when disease-affected muscle fibers lead to enlargement of one or more chambers of the heart. This weakens the heart's pumping ability. The goal of treatment is to control symptoms and stop the disease's progression. However, no cure currently exists for this condition.

Ryley was given several medications to improve her heart function, but when she showed little improvement, doctors informed the family that a heart transplant was her only chance of survival.

Although heart disease is prevalent in Ryley's family, the news was shocking. She was put on the organ transplant list in Toronto and doctors informed the family that there was no way of predicting when a donor heart might become available. Each day that passed was crucial to Ryley, as her heart was failing quickly.

Ten days after being placed on the transplant list, Ryley received her new heart. Part of the reason Ryley received her heart so quickly was because doctors at SickKids were able to transplant a heart that was not typically compatible with Ryley's own blood type. SickKids pioneered research that led to the discovery that hearts of a different blood type from the recipient can be transplanted into newborn babies because their immune systems are not yet mature enough to reject them.

Ryley recovered well from her transplant and was discharged 11 days later. Although she will be on anti-rejection medication for most of her life and may require another heart transplant in the future, her parents could not be happier with her progress post-transplant. For the first time since she was born, Ryley has energy and countless smiles.

HOW CAN YOU HELP? Thousands of children like Ryley need your support.