Penny’s story: A new heart for a born performer

Anyone who meets 8-year-old Penny can tell she’s a born performer. She is magnetic, and her confidence and positivity pervade any room she enters.

“Penny has always been optimistic, even when really, really sick. Even when she was a baby – on a ventilator – she was smiling,” says Paula, Penny’s mom.

When asked about her passions, Penny is crystal clear: singing and art.

“I want to be a famous country singer or an artist,” Penny says.

While hospitalized at Children’s Health℠, she recorded her first album with her team of music therapists, conducted a Christmas orchestra, appeared on the hospital’s internal TV network (Seacrest Studios) and was on the news.

She also got to meet some famous role models: country singer Drew Baldridge, a few Dallas Cowboys players and Charlotte Jones, the Dallas Cowboys' Executive Vice President and Chief Brand Officer.

“Everybody did so much to make sure Penny was happy and gave her opportunities to be brave and fuel her creativity,” says Paula.

Born with congenital heart conditions

Penny was born with multiple, complex heart conditions, including atrial ventricular septal defect and double outlet right ventricle with absent pulmonary valve syndrome. Because only half of her heart was working, Penny needed two major heart repair surgeries – at 5 months old and 6 years old.

And then, at 7 years old, when Penny suddenly went into life-threatening end stage heart failure from her underlying congenital heart disease, her doctors sent her to The Heart Center at Children’s Health for more specialized care and expertise.

At first, Penny’s family wasn’t thrilled about being transferred to a new hospital. But in retrospect, Paula is so glad they landed at Children’s Health.

“There were a lot of things that came up when Penny was in congestive heart failure where we thought, ‘Oh my gosh, how are we going to get through this?,” says Paula. “But we got through it because her team got to the core of the issue – in just the right amount of time.”

Soon after they arrived at Children’s Health, Penny’s family was told that Penny's best treatment option was a heart transplant.

“We knew Penny was going to need a heart transplant, but we thought it would be when she was a young adult, not when she was 7 or 8,” says Paula.

Penny’s care team worked hard to get Penny healthy enough to be listed for transplant.

“To get Penny safely to transplant, we admitted her and gave her medication to support her heart. Our team also focused on optimizing her nutrition, rehabilitation and end‑organ function so she’d be in the strongest possible condition when a donor heart became available,” says Dr. Lynn.

During the next few months in the hospital, Penny’s outgoing personality helped her befriend many of the nurses and Child Life specialists. But nurse Grace was her favorite.

Grateful for all the support and expertise

Paula feels grateful for the important relationships she formed at Children’s Health. She and all the family members that showed up to help support Penny – including Penny’s stepdad, biological dad, three sisters, brother and grandpa – always felt welcome and like valued partners in Penny’s care.

“The staff were always updating us, with any news about Penny, and not just at rounds. They always gave us more than enough information, and that helped me educate the rest of the family about what was happening and how it would affect Penny down the road,” Paula says.

“The unknown can create a lot of unnecessary anxiety for our patient families. And that’s why we always take the time to make sure they understand what’s happening at each step of the transplant process – before, during and after,” says Melodie Minter Lynn, D.O., Pediatric Cardiologist and Assistant Professor at UT Southwestern.

Paula appreciates how Penny has no bad feelings about the months she needed to be in the hospital, hooked up to tubes and machines.

“She has such a uniquely positive perspective on her life and what she’s been through. It’s such an inspiration for me and for others,” Paula says. “And everyone at Children’s Health made Penny feel very, very happy. They all just care so much. It’s remarkable.”

Excited about life ahead

Penny’s heart transplant was a success.

In April 2025, Penny’s family finally got the call they’d been waiting for – a perfect donor heart was ready for her. She sailed through her transplant, and just 38 days later she strutted out of the hospital with her new heart working beautifully. Even better, she got to leave on the very same day as one of the close friends she’d made during her stay, turning discharge day into a double celebration,” says Dr. Lynn.

At home, Penny loves to play with her siblings and spend as much time as possible outside.

“Before my new heart, I could only run for two seconds. Now, I can run down the street to feed the ducks,” Penny says.

Penny still needs monthly follow-up visits and has to take daily medications to protect her new heart. And when she comes in for appointments, she always greets her care team with her contagious smile.

“Penny is a spark of sunshine. When she comes into clinic, she brings a burst of energy that brightens everyone’s day,” says Dr. Lynn.

When asked why she wanted to share her story with other families, Penny gave a charmingly candid answer: “I want to be famous, and I want to inspire others.”

Penny’s determination and confidence is striking.

Paula is excited to see what lies ahead for Penny as she sings new songs and paints new pictures.

“I feel my daughter is worthy of having a fulfilling life because she fulfills other people’s lives. By providing Penny with a new heart and incredible care, Children’s Health gave us the opportunity to do something I don’t know would’ve happened at another hospital,” Paula says.

Learn more

The Pediatric Heart Transplant Program at Children's Health has given hundreds of children a second chance at life. They routinely and successfully perform some of the most complex heart transplants. They also have a wait list mortality rate far below the national average – largely because of how well they care for kids like Penny while they wait for a transplant.

Anyone, regardless of age or health status, can become an organ donor within minutes – and save a life of someone in need. Learn the facts and myths about organ donation or sign up to be a donor now.