I am walking in honor of my daughter and heart warrior, Eliana.

I learned of a rare complication at my twenty week ultrasound. I was carefully monitored two days a week for fetal heart failure at the Chicago Institute for Fetal Health--a part of Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital--and the maternal fetal medicine practice at Northwestern.

Eliana was born at thirty-seven weeks, in the NICU for thirty four days, and ultimately had open heart surgery. Her largest ventricular septal defect was patched, while other portions of fetal anatomy were ligated and sutured closed.

Just when we thought she had recovered, Eliana received a second entirely unrelated cardiac diagnosis. An aortopathy is any disease of the aorta, the main artery taking fresh, oxygenated blood from the left side of the heart to the arteries of all limbs and organs. A common defect is dilation, or swelling, of the aorta wall, also called an aneurysm.

Ellie will need indefinite monitoring and treatment by the connective tissue disorder clinic at Lurie--which only further underscores the complex reality of children living with CHD and the complex/multifaceted nature of this condition.

We invite you to walk with us in celebration of Eliana's life. We are grateful for every day and hope for her to always be surrounded by the love and support of Ellie's Cardio Club!