Swinging from the Heart
Friends 4 Heart Raises $67,500 for Congenital Heart Program

Nine years ago, Scott and Tracy Price received the news that every parent dreads hearing: their two-day-old newborn, a beautiful baby boy named Jake, was seriously ill and needed major heart surgery. Today, the Prices have dedicated their resources and energy into forming Friends 4 Heart, a nonprofit organization that recently wrapped up a tremendously successful golf tournament benefiting the congenital heart program at Medical City Children’s Hospital.

Shortly after birth, Jake Price was diagnosed with coarctation of the aorta—a pinch or narrowing of the large blood vessel that branches off from the heart and delivers oxygen-rich blood to the body. This caused his heart to pump harder in order to force blood through the narrow part of the aorta. Compounding Jake’s condition was an additional diagnosis of stenosis (narrowing) of two major heart valves that obstructed blood flow.

“Jake was our first child, and we were so excited to be parents,” said Jake’s mother, Tracy. “We were preparing to leave the hospital as Jake got the last once-over by the doctor. It was then that the cardiothoracic surgeon entered the room and said that they were taking him in for surgery.” Jake underwent four hours of heart surgery at Medical City Children’s Hospital in 1999 to repair the coarctation and spent several days in both the neonatal and pediatric intensive care units. “We were scared to death,” shared Jake’s father, Scott. “But we knew that Medical City was the best place to handle Jake’s condition.”

With the help of the physicians, surgeons, specialists, nurses, and staff—including Jake’s current primary heart specialist, Dr. Jane Kao—Jake is now your typical rough-and-tumble boy. His genuine care for others and polite manners make him a natural leader among his friends and his two younger sisters, Katelyn and Kylie, look up to him in true big brother fashion. He visits the hospital for regular check ups, and although there is a chance he may need another heart surgery in the future, Jake is presently doing well by all accounts.



“We will never forget our experience with Jake and the support we’ve received from so many people,” Tracy said. “Scott and I wanted to find a tangible way to give back and encourage other families who will go through similar battles.” With this mission in mind, the Friends 4 Heart organization was established to raise funds for the research, treatment and support of children with congenital heart defects. According to the American Heart Association, about 40,000 infants are born with heart defects each year in the United States.

A golf tournament in November 2008 was the first major Friends 4 Heart event, and the results were phenomenal. Presented by Medical City Children’s Hospital and the Orthopedic Associates of Flower Mound/Lewisville and Blackcreek Capital, the sold-out tournament, dinner and auction were held at the beautiful Bridlewood Golf Course in Flower Mound, Texas. As a result, Friends 4 Heart was able to donate $67,500 to Medical City Children’s Hospital’s Congenital Heart Program.











“We are grateful recipients of this generous gift,” said Dr. Eric Mendeloff, surgical director of the congenital heart program at Medical City Children’s Hospital. “Jake’s story continues to inspire patients and families, as well as those of us who treat and repair congenital heart defects. The courage that he and his parents Scott and Tracy have displayed is admirable, and we are delighted to partner with the Friends 4 Heart organization and its wonderful supporters.”

For more information visit Friends4Heart.org.