Fontan Heart Warrior Nurse Practitioner and Liver Specialist

Why would a Heart Warrior choose to become a Nurse Practitioner? What does the liver and liver health mean to a Fontan Heart Warrior? What does the future hold for people with single ventricle hearts and compromised livers?


Mary is a 29-year-old female with hypoplastic right heart syndrome, atrial septal defect, transposition of the great vessels, and coarctation of the aorta. At 9 days old, she had the Norwood, then at 3-6 months old, the Glenn, and Fontan around 2 years old. After the Fontan, she saw her pediatric cardiologist semiannually for routine checkups but overall felt like a “normal” child. At 15, she started having increased fatigue, which led to a pacemaker/defibrillator implantation. She was so inspired by the healthcare providers caring for her that she earned a nursing (BSN) and Nurse Practitioner degree (Doctor of Nursing Practice - DNP). She began working as a nurse practitioner in Gastroenterology and eventually hepatology. She is passionate about working with congenital heart disease patients with chronic liver disease. She has also become an advocate for CHD and started a website called notaperfectheart with her mom.

Link Mentioned in this Episode:

Mary's website: http://notaperfectheart.com/

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