One North Texas girl is turning her fight for a new heart into a message of hope.\u00a0<\/p>\n
During some of her toughest days, 9-year-old Penny Martin found her voice at Children’s Health in Dallas. \u00a0<\/p>\n
She was born with multiple complex heart defects.<\/p>\n
“They discovered that she had half a functional heart,” her mom, Paula, said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Penny underwent two major surgeries, but after the second, at just 7 years old, she went into heart failure. \u00a0<\/p>\n
“The last thing I remember was when I was in the ambulance going to Dallas. I also remember my mom saying my eyes were really dark,” Penny said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“Penny just wasn’t in the best health, and so I wouldn’t say I dealt with it perfectly, but it was the people that were around me that assured me that they were going to take good care of Penny, and shortly after, I found out that was the truth,” Paula said.<\/p>\n
During a months-long wait for a new heart, Penny remained in the hospital. She was introduced to music therapy and instantly fell in love.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“I went to the music room,” she said. “They’re recording you. It was cool!”\u00a0<\/p>\n
She quickly became a bright light in the hospital, recording her first album and even conducting a holiday orchestra.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“She was just a delight to care for because she always made people laugh and she had just an excellent outlook on life,” UTSW and Children’s Health Pediatric Cardiologist Melodie Minter Lynn, DO, said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“It made me feel really good that everybody loved Penny so much!” Paula said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then, last year, the call they had been waiting for finally came. A donor heart was available.<\/p>\n
“It was a bittersweet thing, and we’ve now gotten to know Penny’s donor family, and we love them very much… and so it’s a bittersweet feeling, but I was very excited for Penny’s life,” Paula said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Now, one year after her transplant, Penny is back home and thriving.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She’ll need medication for the rest of her life, but so far, she’s had no complications, and her long-term outlook is strong.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“She can hold a note longer,” Paula\u00a0said. “I just feel like there’s so many possibilities for her now that there weren’t before.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
For others still waiting, Penny says, “Keep going.”<\/p>\n
“Don’t give up!” she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She never stopped singing and can’t wait to see what’s next.<\/p>\n