“Daddy, I'm captivated,” cried to Ava Cooper on a video call with her father after the doctor whispered good news in her ears. It was the moment when the 11-year-old and her family had been waiting for more than 200 days in the hospital.
“I was so excited and couldn't believe it was happening,” says Ava, who was filled with decorations and cards during his stay for a child's room at the Cleveland Clinic.
Ava's dad Sean Cooper said, “The hospital had become our second home, so it was overwhelming to hear Ava say, 'I'm capturing my heart.'
Dr. Madeleine Townsend has brought the AVA the news that she is getting a new mind. (Commentary: Jamie Cooper)
Ava's health journey began in six days when she underwent her first heart surgery. A beloved girl with a passion for the arts was born with multiple heart defects, including ventricular septal defects (hole in the heart), right thoracic heart (chest heart), L-transposition of the aorta (two pumping chambers in the heart are switched), and lung trauma (the lung valve is missing or closed).
“After she was born, Ava had to fly to another hospital right away. I didn't even have the opportunity to spend time with her,” says Ava's mother, Jamie Cooper.
The AVA underwent a total of four laparotomy surgeries by the time he was five years old. Following these steps, she went for nearly five years without symptoms. That will be until the summer of 2024.
Ava underwent his first heart surgery at six days of age, six days after birth, and continued to have three more hearts before his heart transplant. (Commentary: Jamie Cooper)
“Ava was beginning to get sick. I noticed that she was awake with swelling in her face and couldn't lie flat at all, and had trouble breathing. Her doctor determined she had heart failure,” says Jamie.
The AVA was then transferred to Cleveland Clinic Children's, where her care team included Gerald Boyle, a pediatric cardiac function and transplant psychologist, Maryland, and Madeleine Townsend, a pediatric cardiac function and transplant psychologist.
“We did a full work-up to see if there was anything else we could do to save her heart. We realized that doing more surgeries with her current heart won't make her better in the long term. Our goal is to give her the best long-term quality of life.
In September 2024, the AVA was eventually on the new mind transplant wait list. During this time, AVA has experienced ups and downs in health. Ultimately, you need to support the heart that pumps oxygen, nutrients, and the Berlin heart that pumps blood throughout the body. Of all this, Ava's family worked hard to maintain the sense of normalcy of the 10-year-old at the time.
Ava and her family celebrated many holidays and milestones at the hospital, including Halloween and the birthday of her sister Kennedy. (Commentary: Jamie Cooper)
“We had Sunday dinner, had a birthday party in her hospital room for Ava's sister, and raised presents to be open on Christmas morning. We were still trying to find a way to make memories together,” says Jamie.
One of Ava's most precious memories was dancing in February 2025 when he and his father entered the dance hall. After a child's life expert learned that AVAs usually attend father-daughter dances at that time, she suggested recreating her experiences at the hospital. Caregivers decorated the room, and Ava and her father danced to a curated playlist created by one of the music therapists. Funding to support this special moment comes from the Cleveland Clinic Catalyst Grant, designated to personalize legacy experiences for children with complex, chronic conditions.
“I had to miss my dad's daughter's dance at school, and this was really magical and cool. I was able to dance to my favorite songs with my dad,” says Ava.
Sean said, “It's now one of the best memories I have with Ava and I'm extremely grateful to everyone who came together to make it possible.”
Ava and her father began sharing special moments at the hospital when members of her care team danced their father's daughter. (Courtesy: Cleveland Clinic)
Less than a month after the father-daughter dance, the donor's mind was identified for AVA. Dr. Townsend came to the hospital that night to whisper good news to Aba's ears.
“I really wanted her to tell her parents, so I whispered it to Ava. Seeing Ava's smile that day is one of the best parts of my job,” says Dr. Townsend.
In March 2025, the AVA received a successful heart transplant performed by pediatric and congenital cardiac surgeon Honey Nazim, Maryland.
“I knew that AVA transplants, who had suffered from severe heart failure, would give her a new lease in life. Innovations in the pediatric transplant field have significantly improved patient outcomes and the lifespan of the heart and other organs that have been transplanted,” says Dr. Najm.
Ava was greeted with a high five and a smile when he left at the hospital to return home eight months later. (Courtesy: Cleveland Clinic)
After her transplant, the AVA recovered for a month in the hospital. Dr. Townsend explains that the AVA had been suffering from heart failure at that time for almost a year, and that her body needed time to recover. However, on April 10, 2025, AVA was able to return home for the first time in eight months.
“I was really looking forward to going back to my bedroom and seeing the dog become Rocky again,” shouts Ava.
According to Dr. Townsend, Ava's donor heart is working well and shows no signs of rejection. From here, the care team continues to monitor the AVA to get further out of the surgery.
“Ava is recovering as expected and is getting stronger every day after a heart transplant. Ava has this second shot because the family at the worst moment said yes to organ donation,” says Dr. Townsend.
AVA with follow-up appointment with Dr. Drishti Tolani. Ava's care team will continue to monitor her heart closely. (Courtesy: Cleveland Clinic)
With her new mind, Ava has the energy to play with her sister Kennedy and chase the dog around the garden. She looks forward to starting school again.
“Even though I missed out on the entire fourth grade class, I'm excited to be able to meet up with friends, go on a field trip and do an art project again,” Ava says.
Ava and her family are even more grateful for the life-saving gift of organ donation that made this all possible.
Ava thrived after a heart transplant and returned to her favorite activities, such as playing with her sister. (Commentary: Jamie Cooper)
“We can't even put into words how grateful we are to our donor family. They're the reason we're here today and we're forever grateful,” says Jamie.
Ava says, “We're trying to find ways to keep the other kids in the hospital positive. You can still have fun, even if it's not like being at home. Try making the most of your everyday life.”
Related Institutes: Heart, Vascular & Chest Research Institute (Miller Family), Cleveland Clinic Children
