Jack and Barbara Nicklaus Children’s Legacy Fund

Although his heart was only the size of a walnut, Liam came out of the procedure with a full repair, which included a donated pulmonary artery with a valve to create the necessary connection from his heart to his lungs. He will need additional valve replacements as he grows. Thanks to the philanthropic support required to transport and care for this fragile newborn, Liam was able to celebrate his first of many birthdays at home in Puerto Rico.

To get this medical care, Mayra and her mother traveled thousands of miles from Guatemala to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami. A successful separation of the entwined organs was performed and has allowed her body to function at a healthy capacity. Mayra’s medical journey is not over, but the financial support to fund multiple surgeries which were required, has provided this fun-loving toddler a second chance at life.

A limb amputation looked like the only solution for the young athlete. Tyler desperately needed options. Thankfully, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital offered an alternative: to only remove the tumor and the affected bone, not the entire leg. This would require a special prosthesis that would expand as he grew, but the medical device was not covered by insurance. Thanks to charitable funding, Tyler was able to have the limb-sparing surgery that will one day allow him to get back on the soccer field.