TJ Pfannenstiel
Age 7
Children’s Hospital
Heart Failure
The Green Bay Packer’s “Best Fan” has seen his favorite team play the Bears, toured the Packer facilities, and even has a Get Well card from Brett Favre. But Tim and Linda Pfannenstiel of Nebraska nearly lost this fan, their otherwise healthy 7-year-old son, in 2008 when a virus attacked his heart and caused complete heart failure.
TJ had been experiencing flu-like symptoms for a few days, but when TJ started complaining that his “heart hurt” in the Children’s Hospital Emergency Department, an EKG, X-ray and echocardiogram confirmed the worst. TJ experienced complete heart failure in the Pediatric ICU and was immediately placed on an ECMO machine.
Thanks to the highly skilled staff and specialized equipment at Children’s Hospital, TJ was able to avoid having heart surgery by having a less invasive heart catheterization procedure. TJ bravely fought for his life and after five days was taken off the ECMO machine, and within 10 days was up and walking the halls of the hospital with a walker.
Although this athlete missed all of his soccer team’s games, TJ received a special trophy at the end of the season for being the “strongest and bravest player” on the team.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
About Walmart and Sam's Club
Wal-Mart has supported Children’s Miracle Network since 1987. Since then, Children’s Miracle Network and Wal-Mart have worked tirelessly together to help children by raising money for children’s hospitals. Walmart and Sam’s Club associates, customers and members have raised more than $460 million for children’s hospitals during the relationship. This is the first year Walmart and Sam’s Club have sponsored the Champions Across America program.
Champions Across America presented by Walmart and Sam's Club
Champions Across America presented by Walmart and Sam’s Club is a Children's Miracle Network program that brings attention to the important work being done at children’s hospitals by honoring remarkable children who have faced severe medical challenges.
The Champions Across America program designates a Champion child in every state who has bravely battled a serious injury or illness. The Champions represent the nearly 17 million children treated at Children’s Miracle Network hospitals every year. The 2009 Champions have dealt with a wide variety of injuries and illnesses including brittle bone disease, brain tumors and cerebral palsy, as well as surviving car accidents and plane crashes.
As part of Champions Across America, the Champions travel for a week – first to Florida to meet Children’s Miracle Network sponsors, hospital and media partners who all convene to celebrate a year of medical miracles during the Children’s Miracle Network Celebration event at Walt Disney World Resort. The group will then travel to Washington, D.C., where Champions traditionally meet with their state senators on Capitol Hill, and the President of the United States during a visit to The White House.
The Champions Across America program designates a Champion child in every state who has bravely battled a serious injury or illness. The Champions represent the nearly 17 million children treated at Children’s Miracle Network hospitals every year. The 2009 Champions have dealt with a wide variety of injuries and illnesses including brittle bone disease, brain tumors and cerebral palsy, as well as surviving car accidents and plane crashes.
As part of Champions Across America, the Champions travel for a week – first to Florida to meet Children’s Miracle Network sponsors, hospital and media partners who all convene to celebrate a year of medical miracles during the Children’s Miracle Network Celebration event at Walt Disney World Resort. The group will then travel to Washington, D.C., where Champions traditionally meet with their state senators on Capitol Hill, and the President of the United States during a visit to The White House.
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