Our Why

Second Chance Hearts INC was created to honor the journey of Oliver, a local child whose heart transplant story inspired us to make a greater impact within the transplant community. Watching the strength, resilience, and challenges faced throughout his journey opened our hearts to the realities many transplant families experience every day.

Inspired by Oliver’s story, our mission is to support children and families navigating the heart transplant journey by providing encouragement, community support, awareness, and meaningful assistance. We understand how overwhelming these experiences can be, and we strive to remind families that they are never alone.

Through fundraising efforts, community outreach, events, and support initiatives, Second Chance Hearts INC aims to help multiple heart transplant patients and their families each year while spreading hope and awareness throughout our community.

Oliver’s story is the reason behind our mission and continues to inspire us to create lasting change, one family at a time.

Oliver R. Story

On December 21, 2023, during a routine 20-week anatomy scan, doctors discovered concerns with Oliver’s heart. What began as a normal pregnancy quickly turned into a journey no family could have prepared for. Specialists initially suspected Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, but after further testing and fetal echocardiograms, Oliver was diagnosed with multiple complex congenital heart defects, including coarctation of the aorta and several ventricular septal defects (VSDs).

Oliver was born on April 30, 2024, at UK Children’s Hospital. Moments after birth, he was rushed to the PICU for emergency care. Within his first days of life, he began fighting battles no newborn should ever have to face. At just six days old, Oliver underwent his first open-heart surgery. That surgery marked the beginning of a long and difficult road filled with countless procedures, setbacks, victories, and miracles.

Over the next several months, Oliver endured:

Multiple open-heart surgeries
Numerous heart catheterizations
ECMO support
Ventilator dependence
Severe infections
Respiratory complications
Feeding tube placement
Emergency transports between hospitals
Repeated code blue events
Discussions of heart failure and transplant options

Despite every obstacle placed in front of him, Oliver continued to fight with incredible strength and resilience. His journey touched not only his family, but an entire community who followed his story, prayed for him, and stood beside him through every uncertain moment.

After spending more than 700 days in the hospital — including over 400 days on the transplant list — the call finally came on April 11, 2026: a donor heart had been found. The next day, Oliver received the gift of a second chance through a life-saving heart transplant.

Oliver’s story is one of courage, hope, perseverance, and the incredible impact of organ donation. His journey inspired the creation of Second Chance Hearts INC with one mission in mind: to support and uplift heart transplant families facing similar battles.

Through Oliver’s journey, we saw firsthand the emotional, physical, and financial challenges transplant families endure. We also witnessed the power of community, prayer, compassion, and hope. Because of him, we are committed to helping other families feel supported, understood, and never alone during their own transplant journey.

Oliver’s story is the heart behind our mission — and his second chance is the reason we strive to give hope to others every single day.