Support Jaden's Life-Saving Heart Surgery

Hello, meet Jaden. He is 20 years old and lives in Salt Lake with his family and a cat he rescued named Blue.

In March 2025, he was diagnosed with a congenital heart condition called atrial septal defect. He was having chest pains and shortness of breath after a short run. After an abnormal EKG in the emergency room, he met with cardiology at St. Mark's Hospital. He had an echocardiogram, cardiac MRI, and a cath lab procedure for measuring. We were told his hole is the size of a quarter and couldn’t be repaired through the leg due to the size and heart structure. With complications already present—right-sided heart enlargement and pulmonary hypertension—we were recommended to get life-saving surgery ASAP. He will likely be in intensive care for 5-6 days, followed by cardiac rehab, medications, etc. The average cost of open-heart surgery ranges between $58,138 and $200,000. We do have insurance, but it’s a high out-of-pocket max. We are now needing to test the rest of his family since it’s congenital. Fingers crossed

Jaden has a very sweet, funny personality. We are hopeful to be on the sunny side soon, living a long life! Please help spread the word far and wide, and thank you to everyone who contributes by donating/sharing this for Jaden. Words cannot describe how much gratitude we have! Life is short, hug your people (and furry friends!)