Heart of a Maverick - Baby Boy Receives Life-Saving Treatment

EDGEWATER, Fla. - Sept. 25, 2019 - PRLog -- Parents will go to great lengths for their children to make sure they get the very best care. For Joyce Copeland, that includes making the nearly two-hour drive from her home in Edgewater, south of Daytona Beach, to get her baby boy life-saving treatment at Wolfson Children's Hospital of Jacksonville.

At 1 year old, Copeland's son, Maverick, has been through something most adults will never experience: heart surgery.

"I knew I had the choice to go to another children's hospital, but I just felt really comfortable at Wolfson Children's Hospital," Copeland said.

Following surgery to repair a congenital heart defect, Maverick is being closely monitored at the Wolfson Children's Specialty Center inside Easterseals in Daytona Beach. By providing access to a team of pediatric cardiologists with the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville, Wolfson Children's Specialty Center brings outpatient specialty care to Daytona-area children in a convenient setting, close to home.

"It is comforting to know that Maverick can be seen by the same doctors and receive the same level of care that he received in Jacksonville," Copeland said.

Copeland's pregnancy was a whirlwind from the 20-week mark. She was initially told something might be wrong with Maverick's kidney, but a follow-up appointment weeks later revealed something was wrong with Maverick's heart.

She was referred to see specialists with Regional Obstetric Consultants (ROC), who work with Baptist Health and Wolfson Children's Hospital. The diagnosis: a congenital heart defect known as tetralogy of Fallot.

"When the doctor told me there was a heart defect and Maverick would need heart surgery, I just started crying," Copeland said.

Copeland made the decision to continue receiving her prenatal care in Jacksonville. After she delivered at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville, Maverick spent a week being monitored in the Wolfson Children's high-level Neonatal ICU. The two would be back just over a month later, this time for open-heart surgery.

Michael Shillingford, MD, chief of pediatric cardiothoracic surgery at Wolfson Children's Hospital and faculty member with the UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh performed the surgery.

"In Maverick's particular set of circumstances, there was a hole between the right and left ventricle," said Dr. Shillingford.

Following surgery, Maverick spent three weeks in the Cardiovascular ICU at Wolfson Children's Hospital. (http://www.wolfsonchildrens.com/)

Daniela Neagu, MD, a pediatric cardiologist with the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville, said that while Maverick's heart was temporarily fixed, he will require at least one additional heart surgery in the future to replace his pulmonary valve.

Although Maverick will require life-long monitoring and future heart procedures, Joyce is grateful for the care Maverick received that has made every day possible.

"I don't think there are words to thank Wolfson Children's Hospital enough," she said.