ZOEY'S STORY

Eighteen-month old Zoey Gaddis had always been a healthy little girl, and since she was cared for at home, she was never exposed to the germs and illnesses that kids sometimes share in daycare settings. So the morning Mary Lynn Gaddis, a former cardiac nurse, found her daughter lethargic in her crib, she knew something wasn't right.

Zoey was taken to the emergency room at Hoag where doctors began to monitor her. As the day progressed, Zoey's condition continued to worsen and she became very weak. The Hoag Emergency Care Unit staff determined that Zoey needed the specialized medical attention of CHOC's Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).

Within 40 minutes of being transported to CHOC, Mary Lynn and her husband Alan's worst fears were realized when they learned that their daughter was critically ill and might not survive the night. A series of tests found that Zoey had viral cardiomyopathy - a heart disorder which causes the organ to become enlarged. Typically, 1/3 of patients with the disease will die, 1/3 will require a heart transplant, and 1/3 will recover but may suffer from long-term problems.

A team of specialists worked to stabilize Zoey over the next 10 days. And while doctors and nurses tended to Zoey's medical needs, CHOC's child life specialists gave her family a boost of emotional support. They organized a visit for Zoey's siblings to the PICU where she was being treated, and when Zoey began to feel better, they arranged for a family picnic in the hospital lobby.

"I give everyone at CHOC an A+," says Mary Lynn. "From the doctors being so attentive, explaining everything frankly and clearly to us, to the thoroughness of the nursing staff, to the compassion of the child life team, our experience with CHOC was phenomenal."

Zoey recently celebrated her fourth birthday and from looking at her, one would never guess that not too long ago she nearly lost her life. Although today she has a bit less stamina than the average child, she doesn't let it hold her back from activities she loves, including dance class. However, she'll need follow-up care for the rest of her life, and is now taking medications for a recently developed arrhythmia (an extension of her cardiomyopathy), which her CHOC cardiologist is closely monitoring.

As for Mary Lynn, the fact that Hoag and CHOC collaborated to save her daughter's life is something she will never forget. In order to give back to CHOC and share with others the miracles that happen there, in 2006 she co-chaired the first-ever "Rock for CHOC" event in Newport Beach, which netted over $90,000.

"Until we had this direct experience with CHOC, we had no idea how different the care is when it's provided by a children's hospital," says Mary Lynn. "From surgeons who repair tiny newborn hearts to pet therapy dogs who distract and entertain toddlers so they forget their pain, this is an amazing place. As Newport Beach parents, we couldn't be more thrilled about CHOC's partnernership with Hoag."