A Commitment to Our Adult Patients like Greg

Greg, a grandfather with a heart condition called Tetralogy of Fallot, has received care from our adult congenital heart program for about 18 years. “When I first ended up at Children’s National, I could not walk two steps without gasping for air,” he says. “The care and the medication made a world of difference.”

That care helped Greg maintain a part-time job. It has also helped him enjoy time with friends and family over the years. “He’s one of the most independent people I know,” says his daughter, Brandy.

In 2020, Greg’s health declined. His oxygen requirements forced him to stay home from work. He moved from his home in South Carolina to Maryland to stay with family. He had to drag a large oxygen tank with him wherever he went, even to the bathroom at home.

Philanthropy enabled Children’s National to pay for a portable oxygen tank. “That changed everything,” Greg says. “I can get to the store, I can do what I need to do and I’m not exhausted. It has made life much, much easier for me.”

This summer he spent time at the beach with his family. “I felt the breeze from the ocean and enjoyed the freedom to walk on the boardwalk with my grandkids without worrying about dragging that big oxygen tank around. The portable tank has enabled me to relax and enjoy my life.”