The day before Christmas Eve, 18-year-old Brooklyn Soroka of Norwalk, Iowa, was at work when she received a phone call letting her know she would be receiving the ultimate Christmas gift this year: a new heart. At midnight on Christmas Eve, her transplant was completed successfully. According to Dr. Aditya Badheka on the pediatric intensive care team at University of Iowa Stead Family Childrenâs Hospital, Brooklyn is recovering well and doctors are optimistic about the long-term success of the transplant.
Brooklyn was put on the transplant list in February 2020 after doctors at University of Iowa Health Care noticed her heart conditions were progressing. She has mixed cardiomyopathies â a relatively rare combination of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and restrictive cardiomyopathy.
Iowa teen receives ultimate Christmas gift: a new heart
Brooklyn Soroka of Norwalk, Iowa was diagnosed with a rare combination of serious heart conditions in Jr. High. On Christmas Eve, she received a life-giving gift. Author: Luke Cleary Updated: 8:57 PM EST December 26, 2020
IOWA CITY, Iowa An Iowa family says they received the ultimate gift this Christmas: a new heart for 18-year-old Brooklyn Soroka. The Norwalk, Iowa native was at work the day before Christmas Eve when she received the phone call.
At midnight Christmas Eve, her transplant was completed successfully. She’s been doing miraculous, said Brooklyn s mother, Dana Soroka, from her bedside in the intensive care unit of University of Iowa Stead Family Children s Hospital in Iowa City.
The U.S. might have more doses of Pfizer-BioNTech s COVID-19 vaccine than it thought.
While each vial is supposed to hold five doses of the first vaccine authorized for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration, Politico was first to report on Wednesday that pharmacists have discovered some vials may have extra doses, potentially adding to the country s supply. The amount of vaccine remaining in the multidose vial after removal of 5 doses can vary, depending on the type of needles and syringes used, a Pfizer spokesperson told USA TODAY in a statement. At this time, we cannot provide a recommendation on the use of the remaining amount of vaccine from each vial. Vaccinators need to consult their institution’s policies for the use of multidose vials.
Lilly Timmerman laid to rest
The Hawk Eye
After nearly four years of standing strong in the face of leukemia, 12-year-old Lilly Timmerman has been laid to rest.
Masked mourners gathered Thursday inside Burlington First Assembly of God Church, as well as from afar online, to celebrate the life of Lilly, the soft-spoken, fierce, kind and competitive Edward Stone Middle School seventh-grader who died Sunday at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital after she decided to transition to hospice and palliative care. Lily wasn t going to let cancer win. No, Lilly s mother, Maria Timmerman, said. She told us she was ready to go to heaven and was going to go out on her terms and her terms only.
Iowa nursing home officials worry COVID-19 vaccine shortfall will delay precious shots for their residents Tony Leys, Des Moines Register
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics gives first COVID-19 vaccines
Replay Video UP NEXT
A reported shortfall in coronavirus vaccine left Iowa nursing home leaders worried Thursday that their residents and staff would have to wait even longer before receiving shots to halt deadly outbreaks of COVID-19.
“Any thought of a delay is just like bursting a bubble, said Linda Bowman, chief communications officer for the Western Home Communities care facility company.
Bowman described herself as “a little crestfallen” by news Wednesday everning from the Iowa Department of Public Health, which said the state s initial allotments of vaccine could be short by up to 30%.