Cardiovascular Program - Children's Hospital Boston

300 Longwood Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 355-6000

Clinical Services (Cardiovascular Program):

Max's Story:

Back to Patients' Stories

Fate placed our entire family in the hands of the wonderful world of Children's Hospital Boston. Max was born on Aug. 8, 2000, and after only 24 hours he was introduced to the team that would subsequently lead us all through quite a traumatic experience. Looking back on it now, four years later, it's hard to imagine surviving it without the very capable, kind and truly gifted doctors in the Cardiology Department. Max today counts Children's as one of his "homes."

After this initial introduction, Max's experience at Children's was reversed, in that Max returned to the hospital and entered the recovery unit (6 East) one unexpected night, after being home for two months. A week later, he ended up in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (8 South) as his situation worsened. Eleven days after entering the hospital, Max was handed to the surgical team led by Richard Jonas, MD. Five days later he was heading home.

A home away from home

From the moment Max stepped into Children's, we were all welcomed with open arms, smiling faces and the sense that these people would do anything to make sure Max was taken care of. We NEVER lost hope that we would have Max back in our arms.

A team who really cares

To point to one person as a single great example of the care we received would be too hard. It was and still is the entire team who worked seamlessly to care for Max. The nurses were always willing to respond to a request. When Mom and Dad kicked and screamed to get the surgeon we wanted, they responded. When we wanted to be involved, ask questions and participate in Max's care, we were welcomed. Even today, faced with any type of uncertainty our calls are always returned, Max is very much of interest and we know that reassurance that everything will be OK is only a phone call away.

Max today

Today, Max enjoys his visits to Dr. Roger (Breitbart). He gets excited for our trips into town to visit the hospital and say hello to the nurses, bring toys and balloons and see familiar faces. He even tells his friends in Pre-K about his zipper scar and asks them, "my heart makes me special... what makes you special?"

Our son Max, born with a congenital heart defect which required open-heart surgery at approximately 3 months old, is today a fun-loving, happy, extremely active aspiring Red Sox player, who reported recently that he was not going to go to school anymore, he just wanted to be a doctor and take care of people. Yes, Children's has touched him in many ways.

Parents and patients matter at Children's

For families thinking about where to place their trust when it comes to their child's heart, there is no other place in this world like Children's Hospital Boston. You know it the minute you walk into the hospital. Warmth, hope and love is all around you. People at Children's care. And parents as well as patients matter.