A Louisville couple is using their heartbreaking but hopeful story to raise awareness about organ donation as their 2-month-old baby fights for his life at Norton Children’s Hospital. Marc Joubert and his wife Amanda say they never take their good times for granted. She knew that her son’s health could improve at any time. “It’s like a roller coaster. You have a good day and then it’s a really tough day,” Mark Joubert told WLKY. The couple said it was the first time they noticed that their baby’s heart was not functioning properly. It was when they had their 20 week ultrasound. A few months later, on December 4, Augustus “Gus” Joubert was born with a life-threatening heart defect. It was a scary start for the couple, who had just become parents. “It’s emotionally difficult for parents, and any parent who watches their child sick is fine,” said Gus’ mother, Amanda. Norton Children’s Hospital quickly became the family’s second home after doctors discovered baby Gus had a coronary artery abnormality in his tiny heart. This decision was made several weeks later. “He needed a heart transplant because of his life,” said Dr. Mark McDonald, medical director at Norton Children’s Hospital. Eleven days after Gus was placed on the heart transplant waiting list, doctors found the perfect match. However, no transplant was performed. At first, McDonald said Gus’ new heart had not started beating. Norton’s team put him on life support, and within 24 hours his pulse returned. Since then, MacDonald said Gus’ new heart has been making slow progress, but the road ahead will be full of ups and downs. “Me and Gus are like family and that really means a lot to us,” Amanda Joubert said, praising the team of medical professionals her family interacts with every day. From the beginning, Gus’s story has captured the hearts of thousands of people around the world. . The Joubert family has been sharing updates on social media to raise awareness about organ donation. As their son’s fight continues, his family would like to express their gratitude to the doctors and nurses at Norton Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit and the donor family who made the difficult decision to donate his organs. Donate organs from fallen children so that baby Gus has a chance to live. “His life is possible because someone else chose to provide it,” Marc Joubert said. A GoFundMe has been set up for Gus to help pay for his ongoing medical expenses. Click here to donate. You can follow Baby Gus’s journey on Facebook and X. For more information about organ and tissue donation, call Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates at 800-525-3456 or click here.
A Louisville couple is using their heartbreaking but hopeful story to raise awareness about organ donation as their 2-month-old baby fights for his life at Norton Children’s Hospital.
Marc Joubert and his wife Amanda said they never take the good days for granted, knowing their son’s health could always deteriorate.
“It’s like a roller coaster. You have a good day and then you have a really difficult day,” Marc Joubert told WLKY.
The couple said they discovered for the first time that their baby’s heart was not functioning properly during their 20-week ultrasound. A few months later, on December 4, Augustus “Gus” Joubert was born with a life-threatening heart defect.
It was a scary start for the couple, who had just become parents.
Gus’ mother, Amanda, said: “It’s emotionally difficult for any parent to watch their child get sick.”
Norton Children’s Hospital quickly became a second home for the family after doctors discovered baby Gus had an abnormal coronary artery in his tiny heart.
“A few weeks after birth, the decision was made that he needed a heart transplant,” said Dr. Mark MacDonald, medical director at Norton Children’s Hospital.
Eleven days after Gus was on the heart transplant waiting list, doctors found the perfect match.
However, the transplant did not go as planned.
McDonald initially said Gus’ new heart had not started beating. Norton’s team put him on life support, and within 24 hours his pulse was restored.
Since then, Gus’ new heart has made slow progress, but MacDonald said the road ahead will be full of ups and downs.
“They treated Mark and I and Gus like family, and that really means a lot to us,” said Amanda Joubert, referring to the team of medical professionals the family interacts with every day. praised.
Since its inception, Gus’s story has captured the hearts of thousands of people around the world. The Joubert family has been sharing updates on social media to raise awareness about organ donation.
As our son’s fight continues, his family is supported by the doctors and nurses at Norton Children’s Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, and the donors who made the difficult decision to donate organs to our fallen child to give Gus a chance to live. I am grateful to my family.
“His life was made possible because someone chose to donate,” Marc Joubert said.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help pay for Gus’ ongoing medical expenses. Click here to donate.
You can follow baby Gus’ journey. Facebook and X.
For more information about organ and tissue donation, call Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates at 800-525-3456 or here.
