Emma and her family celebrated her 2^nd birthday with a beautiful cake from Sugar Angel Deb Rogers at Sensational Cakes and More. They also celebrated a full year at home after spending the first 11 months of Emma’s life in the hospital.

Emma was diagnosed with an under-developed heart in utero, and was born with a combination of rare heart defects called pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum (PA/IVS) and hypoplastic right ventricle (HRHS), effectively only giving her half of a working heart. This is a tremendous feat to overcome, but Emma is strong, courageous, and resilient. At only three days old, Emma underwent her first heart surgery and was placed on full life support (ECMO) after going into severe cardiac arrest. A heart transplant was her only chance to survive.

After three months of waiting, Emma received her miracle heart transplant the day before Valentine’s Day. Although the procedure was successful, she spent the next 323 days in the hospital post-transplant due to severe complications. She became dependent on a breathing tube and ventilator and returned home with ongoing kidney failure.

#EmmaStrong is an understatement. She overcame the odds and began to recover at home. She continues to get bigger and stronger every day, working hard to catch up on milestones. Her survival is a miracle and an inspiration.

To stay caught up with Emma’s journey, visit https://facebook.com/heartforemma/.

This post written with love and smiles by Icing Smiles blogger Olivia Graupmann.