A few weeks after Michael was born, his mother, Mei, noticed something wasn’t quite right. Her baby boy would turn slightly blue when he nursed and couldn’t stay awake for long. A visit to Michael’s pediatrician determined he had a heart murmur.

“It was such a roller coaster going from a smooth pregnancy and delivery to learning Michael had a life-threatening heart defect,” Mei recalls.

The family immediately turned to Children’s National Hospital for help.

One-year-old Michael was diagnosed with a narrowing of his aorta, which presented two options: traditional surgery or a less-invasive, experimental procedure with a shorter recovery time.

Learn what Michael’s family decided to do — and how your generosity helps children with severe illnesses and injuries.