GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — February is for the heart. This Friday is Valentine's Day, and all month long is American Heart Month. For some, like Grand Rapids native Tracy Meier, this month signifies survival.
Meier is nearly a year out of a heart transplant surgery at Corewell Health, where Cardiologist Dr. Milena Jani says they expect a 100% survival rate post-surgery. Dr. Jani says the overall national statistic is not far behind, at about a 90% survival rate in that first year.
Dr. Jani adds that following the first year of transplantation, they expect their patients to live anywhere from 10 to 13 years, depending on their age. But Dr. Jani emphasizes that no patient is simply a statistic, and that couldn’t be more true for Meier.
“I’m still processing it," Meier said. "I mean, it happened so fast. That's the last thing I would've thought I would have was heart failure.”
Meier went into heart failure in the summer of 2023, caused by radiation from her cancer at ages 18 and 24. “There's always other people that's worse than you, and you just have to have the strength to get through what you have,” Meier said.
Meier first had surgery to receive a heart pump, meant to mimic the work of the heart. It’s called an LVAD, or a Left Ventricular Assist Device. “It’s a mechanical device that is placed inside the heart, and then it runs the heart as if it's a cell phone, except it's your lifeline,” Dr. Jani said.
Dr. Jani says for some people, the LVAD is a permanent fix. For Meier, it was temporary. So, she was put on the transplant list.
To get on the transplant list, Dr. Jani says it’s harder for females than males because they tend to be more sensitized due to enduring childbirth or various other blood transfusions. So, women are less likely to receive a heart that is available to them.
Still, Meier got her transplant surgery in April of 2024, a week after being put on the list. And Dr. Jani says the procedure could not have gone better. Now, Meier's out seizing life. “When I got my heart, I said, I gotta make everybody proud of me now,” Meier said.
A top priority for Meier is her hobby, the Grand Rapids Griffins. She’s been a fan for nearly two decades. Just days before she got her new heart, Meier won a contest to see the Griffins play in Chicago. But then… “I got a call from my clinic saying they found me my heart before I even left for Chicago,” Meier said.
Safe to say, Meier didn’t go to the game. “I emailed them and said, I apologize, but I have to back out. I'm going in to get my new heart,” Meier said.
Two weeks post-transplant, some Griffins players stopped to see her in the hospital. And now they’re back with a surprise. At one of their upcoming home games, Meier has the honor of dropping the puck and meeting the team... her dream come true.
“A near death experience is just, like, something we can't even comprehend going through," Griffins player Cross Hanas said. "The amount of strength that she's had, and just being able to bounce back after it being a successful surgery is just, honestly... it's very inspiring for us.”
Inspiring others, Meier has nothing but gratitude. “There's hope out there,” Meier said.
Meier will complete her one year of testing post-surgery in just a few short months. She wants everyone to consider becoming a donor, because it was quite literally what gave her a new lease on life.
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