Enduring hearts Blog

We are sending out “huggable” pillows to children who have received a heart transplant.

Having a heart-to-heart hug with the EH huggable pillows can lessen pain and makes movement more manageable for children, providing support during their recovery.

These huggable pillows can be used as “cough” pillows to reduce pain caused by the transplant incisions. Thanks to our program sponsor, Paragonix for their support of this family program.

For more information about the pillow program, contact your social worker or email Enduring Hearts Pillows

Enduring Hearts funds innovative research to reduce organ rejection and extend the life for children living with new hearts. There are many ways to address this critical problem. Dr. Edelson’s lab is looking at the impact of exercise on improving outcomes for children. Heart families are looking for preventative, modifiable measures to help their child.

“Given the known benefits of exercise on mental, physical, and vascular health, regular physical activity may be a critical and modifiable way in which to enhance graft survival and improve quality of life for pediatric heart recipients” – Dr. Edelson
Dr. Edelson’s Grant Study is called “MIGHTEE. Motivational Interviewing and Group Heart Transplant Exercise and Education: A Pilot Study” and is being conducted at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).

Prior to transplant many children suffer from severe heart disease and are not able to be physically active. Dr. Edelson will study if virtual group exercise programs increase physical activity of children who have received a heart transplant leading to improved quality of life and graft survival.

Dr. Shah received funding for this research on genomic biomarkers from Enduring Hearts in 2017, after American Heart Association had turned down his study. Our Scientific Advisory Committee members were very enthusiastic about the potential discoveries his research could provide. We are excited to see Dr. Shah not only be recognized for publication but also to see the scientific value from his work help to close the knowledge gap in the field and have the potential to advance treatment for children with heart transplants. Dr. Shah’s has now secured an additional $1 million dollars in funding to continue this important work.

“My early career aspirations were focused on developing novel genomic biomarkers that could be used to manage heart transplant patients. I had initially applied for an American Heart Association career development award and wasn’t funded. Disappointed, I had considered shifting career paths when an opportunity for funding came from Enduring Hearts Foundation. Four-years later our research on genomic biomarkers is leading to novel diagnostic and management strategies for heart transplant patients across the globe, this includes donor-derived cell-free DNA, and microRNAs which are specific to cellular and antibody-mediated rejection.” Dr. Palak Shah, Inova Fairfax.