The day before Christmas Eve, 18-year-old Brooklyn Soroka of Norwalk, Iowa, was at work when she received a phone call letting her know she would be receiving the ultimate Christmas gift this year: a new heart. At midnight on Christmas Eve, her transplant was completed successfully. According to Dr. Aditya Badheka on the pediatric intensive care team at University of Iowa Stead Family Childrenâs Hospital, Brooklyn is recovering well and doctors are optimistic about the long-term success of the transplant.
Brooklyn was put on the transplant list in February 2020 after doctors at University of Iowa Health Care noticed her heart conditions were progressing. She has mixed cardiomyopathies â a relatively rare combination of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and restrictive cardiomyopathy.
Iowa teen receives ultimate Christmas gift: a new heart
Brooklyn Soroka of Norwalk, Iowa was diagnosed with a rare combination of serious heart conditions in Jr. High. On Christmas Eve, she received a life-giving gift. Author: Luke Cleary Updated: 8:57 PM EST December 26, 2020
IOWA CITY, Iowa An Iowa family says they received the ultimate gift this Christmas: a new heart for 18-year-old Brooklyn Soroka. The Norwalk, Iowa native was at work the day before Christmas Eve when she received the phone call.
At midnight Christmas Eve, her transplant was completed successfully. She’s been doing miraculous, said Brooklyn s mother, Dana Soroka, from her bedside in the intensive care unit of University of Iowa Stead Family Children s Hospital in Iowa City.
Brooklyn Soroka was diagnosed with a congenital heart ailment at 13 that slowly sapped her energy Author: Daniel Finney (WOI) Updated: 10:39 PM EST December 25, 2020
IOWA CITY, Iowa Dana Soroka called her daughter, Brooklyn, shortly before midnight Christmas Eve.
Brooklyn was finishing off a late shift at Wells Fargo. She planned to go visit her boyfriend after her shift.
Dana told her 19-year-old daughter and told Brooklyn to hurry home to the south side of Norwalk. They needed to get to Iowa City Hospitals and Clinics to collect it.
Brooklyn’s big Christmas present had arrived in a cooler packed with ice – a donor heart.