Cardiology Patient Stories

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.

When he learned that he needed heart surgery, Andrew Ross, M.D., knew that in order to take care of his patients, he had to take care of himself. To do that, he turned to Mayo Clinic.

After weathering a stroke and heart valve replacement, the prospect for Ashley Zimmerman to fulfill her dream of becoming a mom seemed dim. But with guidance and care from Mayo Clinic specialists, now Ashley is looking forward to celebrating her first Mother's Day with her baby boy.

A suspicious finding during a routine physical led to a diagnosis of coronary artery disease for Mark Guthrie. Heart surgery quickly followed, and now the longtime track and field coach is back to work and feeling great.

When Mat Walker had a device implanted to aid his failing heart, it was just the beginning of a long road to better health. But a host of Mayo Clinic care providers assembled to assist Mat as he worked toward his recovery goals.

When Kim Russell was born in 1960 with a congenital heart defect, doctors weren't optimistic about her survival. Today, thanks to the individualized care and personal support of her Mayo Clinic team, Kim has exceeded all expectations.

When Stephanie Van Doren came to Mayo Clinic, she never expected to learn she had a genetic defect that raised her risk for a potentially fatal heart condition. But thanks to her physician's all-inclusive approach, Stephanie and her family now have information they need to live life to the fullest.

When Sarah Bopp began having shortness of breath and chest pain, she was surprised to learn that the problem was a heart condition that could have taken her life. But now open-heart surgery at Mayo Clinic has the 29-year-old back in competition and more fit than ever.

When James Tembrock was told he needed surgery to replace his aortic valve, he wanted to find a medical center where he could have the procedure done using a minimally invasive approach. That search led James to Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.