Pamela Yandle's Story

Melissa Yandle writes about her daughter's heart transplant...

"We had no idea that Pamela was sick. She was 13 months old and just started crying and acting like she felt bad. After taking her to our local hospital, she was admitted. A few days later we were told Pamela was worse than they could handle so they sent her to the Medical University of South Carolina. The very next day they told us she needed a heart transplant.

"For us, being young, first-time parents, this had to be the scariest time of our lives. Pamela was put on the waiting list for a heart a few days later. To our surprise, we were told the next afternoon that they had already found a heart for her. Pamela was transplanted that night. And that was 12 years ago.

"Pamela has done so well. No rejections, very few problems. Thanks to a wonderful family who chose to be a donor family, Pamela, now 13, has led a normal childhood. She has had the great opportunity to be part of the last three National Transplant Games where she competed in cycling, swimming and bowling. In all of these games, she has received at least one medal, if not more. This would not have been possible had it not been for a special gift given by a very special family. Pamela is able to keep up with the best of them. I just hope, now that she is a teenager, that we can keep up with her."