The Larry King Cardiac Foundation

Juan's Wish, Part II: Step One Towards a Transplant
Monday, June 1, 2009

Step One Towards a Transplant

http://www.11alive.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=130895&catid=3

It's been quite a busy past few weeks for a Guatemalan teenager named Juan Oxlaj. He was practically on his deathbed; today, things are starting to look much better.

The 18-year-old is currently being evaluated at St. Joseph's Hospital in Atlanta for a heart transplant.

He came to the U.S. to earn scraps for his family and wound up in the hospital with congenital heart failure. Doctors didn't think he'd be able to withstand -- or afford -- a heart transplant, so Juan believed he was on his deathbed.

But then, through the coverage of both local and national TV stations, his story became very popular. And the donations started coming in.

To date, Redmond Hospital in Rome has received thousands of dollars from hundreds of donors. And thanks to the work of the Larry King Foundation, Juan was able to be transferred to St. Joseph's and given a heart transplant evaluation.

We should know by week's end whether or not he is eligible. At this point, the biggest concerns are how he will be able to afford the medicine and care required for a heart transplant in the years after he receives it.

To learn more on how to donate to Juan's cause, check out http://www.stjosephsatlanta.org/ and click on the "Make a Donation" link.