Enduring Hearts

Nonprofit is in a race against time for pediatric heart transplant research

Shady Eldaif, M.D.

• Chest wall tumors & disorders

• Trachea disorders

• Mesothelioma

• Excessive sweating

By Clare S. Richie

This February as we celebrate all things hearts – from candy and flowers to romance and cardio workouts – Atlanta-based Enduring Hearts will hold its 4th annual Bourbon Gala & Auction on Feb. 15 to raise funds for pediatric heart transplant research.

“A heart transplant is not a cure. It’s only a bridge to life. Our goal is to be laser focused on helping these children live a long, healthy life,” said Enduring Hearts Executive Director Carolyn Salvador. According to the CDC, nearly 40,000 babies per year have congenital heart defects, one quarter of which are considered critical.

While there are many organizations that fund heart research, Enduring Hearts is the only one solely dedicated to helping children who have received or require transplanted hearts.

Launched in 2013, Enduring Hearts has funded more than $3 million in research that seeks to increase the longevity of pediatric heart transplants, improve quality of life for transplant recipients and eliminate pediatric heart disease.

This labor of love began unexpectedly during family trip to Disney World three years earlier. That’s when an otherwise healthy 15-month old little girl went into heart failure. And on her third birthday she was rushed to the hospital in Atlanta and placed on the transplant list, where she bravely waited alongside her extended family for six months until she received a new heart.

“The family thought once she received the transplant ‘surely she is cured.’ What they realized is that’s not the case. The average heart transplant only lasts around 12