In August 2023, Sezar, a young boy from Rockford, Illinois, became the first patient to receive a transplant through the pediatric heart transplant program at the UW Health Transplant Center. Following the transplant surgery, Sezar spent three weeks at American Family Children’s Hospital. He has since returned home and is back to playing his favorite sport — soccer. “He is thriving outside the hospital and that is the most you can hope for,” said Sonya Kirmani, MD, assistant professor in the Division of Cardiology and medical director of the pediatric heart transplant program. This milestone transplant makes the UW Health Transplant Center one of only six centers in the nation — and the only one in the Midwest — transplanting five major organs in adults and kids.
Read the full story from UW Health Kids, “UW Health Transplant Center celebrates first pediatric heart transplant,” which was published December 20, 2023.
Kirmani joined WKOW Channel 27 to talk about the news. Watch “‘They Made Me Love Soccer Even More’: UW Health Transplant Center Celebrates First Pediatric Heart Transplant,” which aired December 21, 2023. The news was also covered by WIFR, My Stateline, CBS 58, WAOW, and News OOL.