Heart transplant survivor shakes off sheltered childhood to enjoy life

By American Heart Association News

Kendra Plumley in a hospital bed, shortly after getting a heart transplant at 21 months old.

Kendra Plumley soon after her heart transplant. Plumley, now 29, was born with dilated cardiomyopathy and needed a new heart at 21 months old. (Photo courtesy of Kendra Plumley)

Kendra Plumley didn’t spend her childhood running around with other kids on her street, having friends over for sleepovers, or spending lazy summer days by the pool. Instead, she spent most of her time indoors. It wasn’t a choice. She had to protect her new heart.

Today, the 29-year-old from Midlothian, Texas, is making up for lost time by embracing all that life has to offer.

“I know that I’m a miracle,” Plumley said. “My heart was killing me.”

Plumley was born in 1988 with dilated cardiomyopathy. People with this condition have an enlarged left ventricle in their heart that is too weak to pump blood correctly. Early on, she said, her mother suspected something was wrong. Initially, though, her doctors attributed her problems eating to acid reflux. But before long, her doctors realized the situation was more dire. Tests showed she had dilated cardiomyopathy — the same condition her father had.

When she was 21 months old, she had a heart transplant.

Initially, life didn’t get much easier. Her mother had to keep her on a strict drug regimen and there was what seemed like an endless schedule of follow-up visits to her cardiologist. Plumley has needed multiple surgeries since her transplant to correct an intestinal problem, remove multiple cysts and manage gum overgrowth due to medications. She had pneumonia several times, and almost died from the infection.

Plumley said her mother constantly worried about her and, to try to keep her healthy, didn’t let her interact much with other kids. “All I ever wanted [was] just to be a kid,” said Plumley.

At school, some of her classmates picked on her relentlessly, in part because one of the medications she had to take caused her to have excess hair growth on her arms and legs.

Even now as an adult, she said, some social situations are still hard for her to navigate. But she’s got better tools to handle it. “I’ve grown a lot,” she said.

Susan Daneman was the assistant director of nursing in the transplant unit at Children’s Medical Center Dallas when Plumley received her new heart. The longtime nurse said her patient was quiet and intense, but also a “very sweet, precious child” who assumed a great deal of responsibility at a young age, following instructions to the letter.

Daneman is aware that many children who receive new hearts don’t live as long as Plumley, and said her former patient has done an excellent job taking care of her health. A recent study(link opens in new window) showed that children between ages 1 and 5 who got a new heart lived about an additional 21 years if they survived the first year after the procedure.

“I just loved watching her grow into a beautiful young woman who is independent and out there in the workforce and doing wonderful things with her life,” said Daneman. “I wish all my patients could be like her.”

Plumley’s sister, Ashley, said she admired her younger sister’s strength and resilience in the face of the constant poking and prodding she had to endure as a child.

“I really look up to her for everything she’s been through — and how far she has come,” she said. Ashley said she often shares her family’s story in hopes of encouraging others to become organ donors.

These days, Plumley works as a construction trade show coordinator and is engaged. And she’s pursuing her passion for photography. Her favorite assignments, she said, are taking pictures of newborns.

Kendra Plumley with her fiancé Jason Owens. (Photo courtesy Kendra Plumley)
Kendra Plumley with fiancé Jason Owens. (Photo courtesy of Kendra Plumley)

As the 28th anniversary of her transplant approaches, Plumley finds herself thinking about what she went through, and how far she has come. Moving out on her own at 18 was a significant turning point, she said, pushing her to find her voice, get out of her comfort zone and take risks.

She’s still afraid of picking up germs, but that doesn’t stop her from traveling. Now and then, she’ll take her 1970 Ford Mustang out for a spin. She has numerous tattoos, including one in memory of her father, who died of heart failure in 2000.

After living so many years with restrictions, she said, “Nobody was ever going to tell me I wasn’t going to do something again.”

If you have questions or comments about this story, please email [email protected].


American Heart Association News Stories

American Heart Association News covers heart disease, stroke and related health issues. Not all views expressed in American Heart Association News stories reflect the official position of the American Heart Association. Statements, conclusions, accuracy and reliability of studies published in American Heart Association scientific journals or presented at American Heart Association scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the American Heart Association’s official guidance, policies or positions.

Copyright is owned or held by the American Heart Association, Inc., and all rights are reserved. Permission is granted, at no cost and without need for further request, for individuals, media outlets, and non-commercial education and awareness efforts to link to, quote, excerpt from or reprint these stories in any medium as long as no text is altered and proper attribution is made to American Heart Association News.

Other uses, including educational products or services sold for profit, must comply with the American Heart Association’s Copyright Permission Guidelines. See full terms of use. These stories may not be used to promote or endorse a commercial product or service.

HEALTH CARE DISCLAIMER: This site and its services do not constitute the practice of medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always talk to your health care provider for diagnosis and treatment, including your specific medical needs. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem or condition, please contact a qualified health care professional immediately. If you are in the United States and experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or call for emergency medical help immediately.