Jose
16-year-old | heart transplant patient
Accomplishing his dreams is the only thing Jose has his heart set on.
Operate at your fullest potential.
As a little kid, Jose always dreamed of being a physician. He’s been fascinated with science and biology as long as he can remember. Today, this 16-year-old heart transplant patient couldn’t think of a better career. In fact, he just might even be a surgeon. See how he plans on making his dreams a reality.
Favorite Care Team Member
Getting to the heart of medicine
Having a heart transplant can be very scary. Soccer is normally Jose’s go-to stress reliever, but since he couldn’t play, the only thing that helped was talking to Curtis Miyazono, RN, and David Sutcliffe, M.D., one of the chief cardiologists for The Heart Center at Children’s Health℠. Today, during his routine checkups, he still enjoys chatting with Dr. Sutcliffe, but it’s more about soccer.
Patient Story
Creating a treatment plan in sync with Jose’s needs
When his heart stopped in January 2017, Jose was put on ECMO, a type of life support, and transferred to The Heart Center. There, he received a ventricular assistance device (VAD) before undergoing a successful heart transplant. After a month of rehabilitation at Our Children’s House, he was released to go home. Today, he is a healthy teenager with a heart full of love.
Favorite Activity
Writing a prescription for fun
After nine months of anticipation, Jose finally returned to the soccer field. Although he feels slower and weaker than before, nothing has kept him from his favorite pastime. In fact, David Sutcliffe, M.D., attended Jose’s second soccer game where he scored the winning goal with only two minutes left to play. Ready to take your game to the next level?
Favorite Subject
Getting a head start in health care
Although there were only a couple weeks left of school after Jose’s heart transplant and rehabilitation were complete, he was eager to get back to school and science classes. As an aspiring physician, Jose enjoys his biology and anatomy classes that are helping him learn the ins and outs of the human body. Looking to get a head start in the health care industry? Volunteer at Children’s Health.