Nathan Gettinger

Your donation is in support of the Children’s Heart Foundation.  Children’s Heart Foundation was established in 1996 and is the country’s leading organization solely dedicated to funding congenital heart defect (CHD) research with a mission to advance the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of congenital heart defects.  CHDs are conditions that are present at birth and can affect the structure of a baby’s heart and the way it works.

Hi, my name is Nathan Gettinger.  I was born with a Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD).  A VSD is a hole in the wall (septum) that separates the two lower chambers (ventricles) of the heart.  My heart defect was identified during my discharge exam a few days after my birth.  Over the next several years, doctors continued to test and monitor my condition. 

As I grew older, I always hoped that my VSD would close on its own but it never did.  However, all of the doctors that examined me over the years believed that my VSD would probably not require surgical intervention therefore they only required me to visit them for an annual check-up to do an echocardiogram to ensure that my condition was not deteriorating. 

In the spring of 2020, and at the age of 15, everything changed.  During what was supposed to be a routine check-up, my pediatric cardiologist informed me that a muscle bundle had formed inside my heart, was continuing to grow, and would need to be removed by means of open-heart surgery.  This news was gut-wrenching for me and my family.  That summer, I underwent surgery at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.  Thanks to the great doctors, nurses, and staff I had a full recovery.

Following my surgery, I worked hard to reestablish myself as a strong student-athlete and learned a lot about myself as a person.  I decided to learn tennis following my surgery and through hard work and determination I became a high school all-state tennis player and placed thirteenth in doubles tennis at the State Tournament in Chicago during my senior year. Currently, I am attending Mizzou and working toward a degree in Nursing.  My CHD journey has inspired me to pursue work in the medical field and dedicate my life to serving others.

I hope that you can find it in your heart to make a donation to help kids like me living with a CHD.  Every donation counts and goes towards vital research that helps save lives and offers those living with a CHD a chance at having a longer healthier life.

Together we can make a difference!

The Children's Heart Foundation was founded in 1996 and is the country's leading organization solely dedicated to funding congenital heart defect (CHD) research. 

Our mission is to advance the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of congenital heart defects by funding the most promising research.