Baby waits for heart at Duke Hospital
DURHAM (WTVD) -- A little Harnett County girl, not even a year old, is in the fight of her life at Duke Children's Hospital.
Delaney Boone has been diagnosed with a condition that is so rare it only affects six in a million infants.
Delaney's parents have been right by her side for the last seven weeks. Her mother Alicia is staying at the Ronald McDonald House as her dad Bruce commutes for work.
"She can go under so much and she's still going," Alicia said about Delaney. "So it's like if you've made it through all of this, you're good."
Two months ago, Alicia and Bruce Boone couldn't have expected to be here.
"She's never gotten sick or spit up or sneezed before," said Bruce.
"Perfection of health up until this time," Alicia added.
But one day, Delaney fell sick. A trip to the doctor, then the ER, and eventually a life flight to Duke landed their little girl on a waiting list for a new heart.
"The official term is dilated cardiomyopathy," explained Dr. Michael Carboni, Duke Hospital Pediatric Heart Failure and Transplant Program Medical Director.
Doctors say the left side of her heart stopped working as it should. So after two heart surgeries and a stint on the bypass machine ECMO, she's now surviving with a Berlin Heart, a machine that takes over helping pump blood through her body.
"I couldn't see myself lasting through that," said Bruce. "She's just tough. She doesn't stop."
Day after day, Alicia is at the hospital but the bills had to be paid so Bruce is back at work. Hometown friends have sent encouraging messages, Christmas cards, created a Facebook page to help raise money and awareness for organ donation.
"I've always checked the box," said Alicia. "I'm an organ donor."
But now their child is the one in need and Delaney's Army, as her supporters are called, are praying.
"I tell them you're not praying for her to get a heart. You're praying for those parents to have the strength to give us that gift," said Alicia. "She's a little heart warrior so she's going to make it through. She is."
Click here to visit the Delaney's Army Facebook page.
Dr. Carboni said it could take three months or longer for Delaney to receive a heart. Once that happens, she will have a long road to recovery ahead of her.
