When Jolene and Heikke went to their 17-week prenatal visit for their youngest daughter, they learned their little girl had multiple heart defects. They knew immediately that their baby would need medical interventions when she was born, and they also knew in that moment what they’d name their little girl – Hope.

When Hope was born a few months later in a Denver hospital, her parents were prepared for the surgery she needed to correct her heart conditions. What they weren’t expecting was that she’d also be diagnosed with a birth defect that impacted her ability to pass waste shortly after she was born.

Because Hope had multiple complex congenital conditions to deal with, her parents transferred her care to Children’s Hospital Colorado. She had two septal defects – essentially holes between her upper and lower chambers in her heart, an atrial septal defect and a ventricular septal defect. At just 2 months old, she had both holes surgically repaired. Then, 7 months later, Alberto Peña, MD, a preeminent colorectal surgeon, performed an operation that he pioneered, called the “Peña pull-through procedure,” which ultimately allowed Hope’s tiny body to start passing digestive waste through her system. This surgery was pivotal for Hope and set her on a path that no longer included health complications. Jolene says that Hope is the definition of inspiration; her energy is infectious and despite the challenges she had early in life, she is now a strong and courageous third grader who loves to do cartwheels and handstands.