Oconomowoc newborn needs heart transplant; family gets support

OCONOMOWOC, Wis. - It has been a lifetime of surgeries for an Oconomowoc newborn. At just 39 days old, she needs a heart transplant.  

A newborn's need

What we know:

While still in the womb, doctors diagnosed Eleanor Welch with congenital heart disease. She had open-heart surgery at three days old. A machine now pumps blood through her tiny body. 

Eleanor Welch

"She lost some of the blood flow to her heart muscle – basically the doctors got together and said there’s no repairing it," said Tyler Welch, Eleanor's father. 

"She’s a spunky one.  She will tell the nurses if she likes what they are doing or not," said Laura Welch.

Why you should care:

Eleanor needs a heart transplant. 

 "That’s like the first thing that pops into your head," Laura said. 

Laura & Tyler Welch

"A miracle for us is someone else’s worst nightmare," Tyler said. 

"It’s a very difficult mental space to be in," said Dr. Alexander Raskin, the pediatric cardiologist at Children's Wisconsin overseeing Eleanor's care. "This is pretty rare. Eleanor’s specific heart disease makes up less than 1% of congenital heart disease," Dr. Raskin said. 

Community pitching in

Dig deeper:

While Eleanor lies in the intensive care unit with her chest open, the community has opened its heart to help the Welch's give other children.

"There’s a meal train three times a week – meals being dropped off at house. Sisters are picking up for school for us," Laura said. 

The group calls themselves Eleanor's Army – leaning on their father and each other. 

Consider organ donation

What you can do:

More than anything, the Welchs hope Eleanor's first few days remind everyone about the importance of organ donation. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services offers information about organ and tissue donation.

Eleanor Welch

"If Eleanor couldn’t make it through this – if she was able to give a kidney or one of her other organs – I would feel so blessed to give that opportunity to someone else," Tyler said. 

If you would like to be a part of Eleanor's Army, a GoFundMe account has been set up. 

What's next:

Eleanor is not strong enough to be on the transplant list. When she is, it could still be months before she gets a new heart. Size, blood type and availability all need to line up.