The year they turned 6, life took quite the turn for Gabe and Drew Wherley, identical twins from New Philadelphia, Ohio. The twins were in kindergarten. One day, Gabe had a seizure while at recess on his school’s playground. “Seizures were frequent for me,” said Gabe, “but this one was different. I was out […]
Cardiac procedure targets frequent fainting, gives mom her life back
When Hannah Grable got COVID, everything changed. A busy mother of two, Hannah dealt with various health conditions throughout her life, including one that caused her to faint from time to time. After she had her second child, she was diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). POTS is a blood circulation disorder that causes […]
After heart ablation procedure done without radiation exposure, Tallmadge man hopes to eventually remove his pacemaker
Certain things stick out clearly in Kenny Roberts’ mind, especially the day he passed out while playing basketball 27 years ago. He remembers being rushed by ambulance to Akron Children’s emergency room. Later, it was the look on his parents’ faces when they learned Kenny had an abnormal heartbeat that required a pacemaker to ensure […]
Dr. John Clark adapts heart procedure to treat more arrhythmia conditions — all with zero radiation
Akron Children’s Heart Center has taken another step forward on its mission to mend all kids’ “broken” hearts. Pediatric Cardiologist and Director of Akron Children’s Pediatric Arrhythmia Center John Clark, MD, and his team have adapted a common cardiac ablation procedure, traditionally used to treat abnormally fast heart rhythms, to now also treat areas of […]
Helping hearts in Haiti for 10 years
For 10 years, Akron Children’s has been supporting Haitian pediatric heart patients through a partnership with St. Damien Pediatric Hospital, and the milestones achieved along the way are nothing short of life-changing. How it all started After a devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake ripped through Haiti in 2010, Akron Children’s staff visited the island country to care […]
Not a second to spare: Quick action and an AED save 5-year-old
As Alexandra (Alex) Lucas and her mom raced down a grocery store aisle for an urgent visit to the bathroom, they found themselves in a very different kind of emergency situation. Upon entering a stall, Alex, just 5 years old, went into cardiac arrest. “Alex fell face-first onto the floor. I thought she must have […]