From the moment she was born, Stella has done everything on her own timing. Today, she is a smart kid who never forgets a promise, keeps everyone around her laughing, and is convinced she is destined to become a social media superstar. She loves being on stage, whether it is acting, singing in the choir, or performing in musical theater, and loves being with her twin siblings.

But behind Stella's larger than life presence, a scary journey unfolded beginning with her 20-week ultrasound. Her parents were shocked when doctors detected something seriously wrong with their baby's heart-hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). Stella's condition was too high-risk for any intervention prior to her birth, but her parents were reassured they were in good hands at St. Louis Children's Hospital.

Stella was born at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in December 2015 and immediately rushed to St. Louis Children's Hospital where she underwent major surgery at just 2 days old. While the procedure was initially deemed successfully, doctors had to reopen her chest bedside to save her life later that night. After 10 days on a ventilator and a month in the hospital, Stella was finally able to go home.

Stella's early years were a balance of feeding tubes, therapies, and constant monitoring. She underwent a second surgery at 4 months old. According to her mom, far less was known about HLHS 10 years ago and there was a lot of fear and uncertainty. By the time Stella was 3, she had developed quite the personality, but also a distrust and fear of needles from all her procedures. In 2019, she underwent what should be her third planned heart-correcting surgery, and it was a success. Stella has remained stable and checks in with her medical team every six months. Unfortunately, if her heart should start to decline, her only option for treatment would be a heart transplant. But currently, aside from some restrictions, she lives life like any other kid.

Because of You:

St. Louis Children's Hospital has been Stella's family's anchor, and they describe her medical team as magical. The child life specialists helped keep Stella entertained and comforted during the hard moments. Her parents credit all the staff members at St. Louis Children's for treating each child in their own unique way. Stella's family is grateful for donors who make programs available to families and all the support services that change lives.