Esme Donado came fighting into this world February 10, 2021. Born with heterotaxy, her heart, lungs, stomach and liver were formed flipped inside her body. Her unique congenitally corrected heart wouldn’t sustain a long life. At three months of age Esme was sent to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Stanford, California. There she underwent several PA band procedures before undergoing a double switch open heart surgery with a VSD closure.

Fast forward to 3 years old and complications from her heart surgery landed her life flighted to Chomp in Philadelphia. Coughing up casts in her lungs, heart surgery needed to be performed to resolve pressure to her lungs as well as a very painful lymphatic system procedure to glue future leaks from returning into her lungs.

Unfortunately, the last ER visit was not planned. Playing on her bike Esme fell and hit her head causing bleeding of the brain. Last week Esme underwent brain surgery. The surgeons removed half her skull which later will be put back in place once the swelling goes down. She is currently in the intensive care unit at Primary Children’s hospital.