Due to low fetal heart rate, Arden was born at 32 weeks via emergency C-section. Only six weeks later, she began having difficulty breathing and x-rays showed her heart had grown to fill ¾ of her chest cavity, and was crushing her lungs. Arden was transported to a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital where she was placed on a ventilator to keep her alive. Following multiple tests, doctors knew only a heart transplant would save her life. Arden had been on the national transplant list for only three weeks when doctors determined that her severe complications gave her roughly one week to live. Thankfully, Arden’s parents received a life-changing phone call in that week – Arden was going to receive a miracle in the form of a new heart. Following her transplant, Arden was also diagnosed with a rare and progressive mitochondrial disease. Because her condition is complex, Arden spends a lot of time at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children receiving specialized treatment and various therapies. From the ventilator that helped save her life to the toys and activities that make each hospital visit a little brighter, Arden and her family continue to feel the impact of CMN Hospitals. < Back