Heart of a Lyon

July 29, 2011

A FAMILY PHOTO: Liam with his older sister Cheyanne, his Dad Brody, his mom Whitney (in red) and one of his nurses from Arkansas Children's Hospital where the staff has become family as well.

There is nothing like getting a Christmas gift in July. On Sunday one local family received a gift better than any Christmas present they could ever imagine, a heart for their baby who has been fighting for life almost every day of the five months since he was born.
His story
William Elijah Lyon, or Liam as he is affectionately known, was born on Feb. 18 to Whitney and Brody Lyon. He arrived five weeks early but he weighed more than six pounds. His mom Whitney said that although she had gestational diabetes the family had no idea before he was born that anything was wrong with Liam. However doctors at St. Edwards Mercy in Fort Smith, Ark., knew that something was amiss following his arrival. Liam was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, which means he has two chambers and one ventricle in his heart, versus four chambers and two ventricles. Liam was first flown to St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa but within a week doctors there told Whitney and Brody that Liam was probably going to need a transplant and would need to be transferred to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock.

For the full the full story, see the July 29 edition of the PDN