Leonard – Age 3 – Uganda

Leonard’s parents noticed something was wrong with their baby – he had extreme difficulty breathing. After several years of many doctor’s appointments, Leonard was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot, a combination of four different defects that change how blood flows through the heart. Without surgery, the 3-year-old was going to live a life of chronic illness and possibly not make it to his next birthday.

Unfortunately, the necessary treatment was not available in Uganda so he and his mom, Harriet, traveled more than 8,000 miles to New Orleans to begin his HeartGift medical journey at Children’s Hospital New Orleans. Surgeons successfully mended little Leo’s heart, and he is now a proud member of the “Zipper Club.” Today, Leonard is running around endlessly playing with his toy cars and motorcycles.