Cardiology Patient Stories

Mark Ulland, a Mayo Clinic patient, recently received a lifesaving combination of phage therapy followed by a heart transplant. It is the first time Mayo ...

Jada Lang knew something wasn't right. But she had no idea that she was as sick as she was. Jada is among the more than 2 ...

Betty Christopherson says Mayo Clinic Health System physicians have given her the best Christmas present. "You gave me a new husband," says Betty. Llewellyn (Lewey) Christopherson wasn’t ...

Meckenzie Tinaglia knows her heart. She trusts her intuition, and when her body speaks to her, she pays attention. So in early April 2021, when Meckenzie ...

The motto for the City of Barron, Wisconsin, is: "Be kind. Be strong. Be together. Be Barron." Nathan Emmons has embraced this motto in all ...

Travis Heidt was holding his son, Franklin, for the first time. "It was a very joyous time and also an overwhelming time," says the first-time ...

Linsey Rippy was 16 weeks pregnant with her second child when she learned her daughter, Madi, had dilated cardiomyopathy. She was just two-and-a-half years old. “Our ...

For years, Joey Del Toro has lived with medical conditions that have affected his abilities and appearance. But Joey hasn't let his health concerns define him. Instead, he's focused his energy on moving beyond them and excelling at the sports he loves.

Woody Hust, an athlete and outdoorsman, is living his dream in the Rocky Mountains. It's a picture-perfect existence made even more special because he's achieved his goals despite having a congenital heart defect. Thanks to the lifelong, personalized care Woody's received from his Mayo Clinic cardiologist, the sky continues to be the limit for him.

Greg VanBellinger knew from family history that he was at risk for heart disease, but as a fitness enthusiast who stayed on top of his medical appointments, he believed his heart was in good shape. An offhand decision to participate in a fitness evaluation at Mayo Clinic, however, revealed that Greg's heart was not as healthy as he believed.

Gary Tompkins' heart is damaged from a dangerous cardiac condition. But that hasn't stopped it from feeling joy, love and gratitude for a second chance at life, and for the men and women at Mayo Clinic whose commitment, compassion and friendship has helped him heal.

When Dale Leighton underwent a heart transplant at Mayo Clinic, the motorcycling enthusiast believed his days of poor health were behind him. But the new heart failed to work. For Dale, who's dealt with life-threatening heart disease for years, that meant a second heart transplant and a second journey through recovery.