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Dear John,
I want to tell you an unusual story of a father and son who shared the same serious heart disorder.
Bryce was just 5 months old when he was operated on to repair a congenital heart defect called supravalvular aortic stenosis. "It was really hard for me, honestly," says his father, Jeff, who also was diagnosed with the condition as a baby. "I took a lot of self-guilt with it, like, I created this. Nobody else in my family has this condition."
Jeff was terrified about Bryce having to undergo the very same surgery he went through 18 years earlier at Children's Hospital Los Angeles—until he learned that the same surgeon who had operated on him as a teenager would be taking care of his son.
"I was beyond excited. It was this huge sense of relief, as if I no longer had to worry anymore."
When I think about Jeff and Bryce, I am reminded of why, during this Season of Giving, there's so much to be thankful for.
I am thankful for loved ones.
I am thankful for meaningful work.
And I am thankful for your ongoing help in making healing, care, research and joy possible at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.
Over this past year, your gifts, signed cards, encouragement and the many other ways our community has shown support have been felt by our entire hospital—patients just like Bryce, their families and the staff who care for them.
Because of generous supporters like you,
Children's Hospital Los Angeles has been able to continue to provide outstanding care for kids this year and conduct research that saves and changes lives...all while in the midst of a pandemic.
Thank you for helping kids like Bryce get the care they need. It reminds me of what's possible when we work together. We can heal. We can provide incredible care. And we can make sure that one beaming little boy has the healthy future that he—and every child—deserves.
On behalf of our patients, patient families and staff, thank you for being a part of the Children's Hospital Los Angeles community and for making stories like Bryce's possible.
Sincerely,
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Paul S. Viviano
President and Chief Executive Officer
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
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