Behind Southern California's First Pediatric Partial Heart Transplant: The Power of Organ Donation
by Sarah E. Fahey | Mar 02, 2026 | News |
When surgeons at Loma Linda University Children's Hospital performed Southern
California's first pediatric partial heart transplant last year, it marked a defining moment in
cardiac innovation.
For 12-year-old Ymiliano Hernandez, born with a rare congenital heart defect, the surgery offered more than a new medical procedure. It offered a future with fewer surgeries, fewer complications, and more possibilities.
But breakthroughs like this do not begin in the operating room.
They begin with a decision.
They begin with organ donation.
Innovation Is Powered by Generosity
A partial heart transplant replaces damaged valves and outflow tracts with donor heart tissue, tissue capable of growing with a child and functioning more naturally than mechanical alternatives. It represents a major advancement in pediatric cardiac care.
And it is only possible because of a donor family who said "yes."
Every historic transplant rests on an extraordinary act of generosity. In this case, a family in the midst of profound loss made the courageous choice to donate, allowing their loved one's legacy to extend on through a child's life.
That gift didn't just help one patient. It advanced an entire field of medicine.
OneLegacy's Role: Creating the Bridge to Breakthroughs
As Southern California's organ procurement organization, OneLegacy serves more than 20 million people across seven counties and partners with over 200 hospitals and nine transplant centers, including Loma Linda.
Our role is to ensure that when a family says "yes" to donation:
OneLegacy stands at the center of that ecosystem, creating the bridge between donation and transplantation.
A New Era in Pediatric Transplantation
Traditional artificial valves often require multiple replacements as children grow. Living donor tissue offers something different: durability, growth potential, and reduced infection risk. For children like Ymiliano, that means more time living and less time in the operating room.
The future of donation and transplantation is not just lifesaving, but also life-enhancing.
Honoring Legacy Behind the Milestone
It is easy to celebrate the "first." But at OneLegacy, we know that behind every milestone is a family navigating unimaginable grief and choosing hope amid heartbreak.
The choice to be an organ donor creates ripples:
Please consider registering to be an organ donor today by clicking here.
For 12-year-old Ymiliano Hernandez, born with a rare congenital heart defect, the surgery offered more than a new medical procedure. It offered a future with fewer surgeries, fewer complications, and more possibilities.
But breakthroughs like this do not begin in the operating room.
They begin with a decision.
They begin with organ donation.
Innovation Is Powered by Generosity
A partial heart transplant replaces damaged valves and outflow tracts with donor heart tissue, tissue capable of growing with a child and functioning more naturally than mechanical alternatives. It represents a major advancement in pediatric cardiac care.
And it is only possible because of a donor family who said "yes."
Every historic transplant rests on an extraordinary act of generosity. In this case, a family in the midst of profound loss made the courageous choice to donate, allowing their loved one's legacy to extend on through a child's life.
That gift didn't just help one patient. It advanced an entire field of medicine.
OneLegacy's Role: Creating the Bridge to Breakthroughs
As Southern California's organ procurement organization, OneLegacy serves more than 20 million people across seven counties and partners with over 200 hospitals and nine transplant centers, including Loma Linda.
Our role is to ensure that when a family says "yes" to donation:
- • Their loved one is honored with dignity and care
- • Organs are recovered with precision and urgency
- • Transplant teams receive the lifesaving gifts they need
- • Research and innovation can continue to move forward
OneLegacy stands at the center of that ecosystem, creating the bridge between donation and transplantation.
A New Era in Pediatric Transplantation
Traditional artificial valves often require multiple replacements as children grow. Living donor tissue offers something different: durability, growth potential, and reduced infection risk. For children like Ymiliano, that means more time living and less time in the operating room.
The future of donation and transplantation is not just lifesaving, but also life-enhancing.
Honoring Legacy Behind the Milestone
It is easy to celebrate the "first." But at OneLegacy, we know that behind every milestone is a family navigating unimaginable grief and choosing hope amid heartbreak.
The choice to be an organ donor creates ripples:
- • A child receives a new beginning.
- • Surgeons refine new techniques.
- • Future patients gain access to expanded treatment options.
- • Communities witness the power of generosity.
Please consider registering to be an organ donor today by clicking here.