Support Nana's Urgent Heart Surgery Journey

Our beautiful friend Johana — or as we lovingly call her, Nana — is a fighter. Rosie and I met her in college during our journey to becoming nurses, and we’ve been close friends ever since graduating together in 2009.

At 42, Nana has spent her life taking care of others as a nurse and case manager. But last year, her world changed when she was diagnosed with an incredibly rare congenital heart defect called ALCAPA (Anomalous Left Coronary Artery from the Pulmonary Artery). Most people with ALCAPA don’t survive to adulthood — and incredibly, Nana’s condition went undetected until she began experiencing heart palpitations that led her to the ER.

In July 2024, she underwent her first open-heart surgery. We were hopeful that it would be the last. But just this week, Nana was diagnosed with severe pulmonary stenosis and pulmonary hypertension, two life-threatening complications that now require a second open-heart surgery.

She recently underwent a balloon valvuloplasty to temporarily relieve pressure on her heart, but this is only a temporary solution. Nana now needs a bifurcation of the pulmonary artery, a rare and complex procedure that must be performed by a specialist.

That’s why, on Sunday, May 25th, Nana will be emergently transferred from Miami to the University of Maryland, where Dr. Bartley P. Griffith, one of the nation’s top cardiothoracic surgeons, will perform the operation.

She is expected to be hospitalized for at least 20 days, and her husband and family — six loved ones in total — will need to travel to Maryland and remain by her side throughout the process.

We’re raising funds to help cover:

• Travel and lodging for her husband and family

• Out-of-pocket medical and recovery expenses

• Living costs while they are away from home

• Support for Nana’s husband, who will be out of work during this time

Our goal is to raise money to help ease the financial burden during this critical time and allow Nana to focus on healing — surrounded by the people who love her most.

Nana has a powerful support system — her husband, her parents, three sisters, and her friends who have stood by her for over 15 years. She’s been our rock, our nurse, and our heart. Now, she needs her village.

Please consider donating or sharing her story. Every bit helps.

Thank you for supporting our Nana and helping her through this next chapter of her journey.