Critical Care for Mariana

“I like to run because I feel free. I love to paint because I can express myself and I like to ride my bike because it's fun and I can go fast,” says Mariana. She is an energetic kid with a lot of spunk. But when she was born, she struggled to breath. She had persistent pulmonary hypertension. This condition meant that her circulation system as a newborn didn’t adapt well to life outside the womb. When Mariana was four days old, her care team called Children’s National Hospital for emergency help. Our Skybear Transport team soon picked her up by helicopter. The pediatric-trained flight team provided critical treatment on the way to our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). 

After 22 days in our NICU, Mariana went home with her family for the first time. Years later, she loves running in the hospital’s annual Race for Every Child, especially the Kids Dash. “I love that everyone cheers you on and how different heroes pass out medals at the finish,” she says. “Children’s National always makes me feel special.”