Cleveland, United States - August 19, 2025 A powerful video shows 11-year-old Ava Cooper sharing life-changing news with her father after 215 days in the hospital. In the clip, Ava beams with joy as she tells her dad, “Daddy, I’m getting a heart,” moments after her pediatric heart function and transplant cardiologist, Madeleine Townsend, MD, whispered the news in her ear. “It’s the moment the 11 year old and her family had been waiting more than 200 days in the hospital for. I was so excited and couldn’t believe it was actually happening,” said Ava. Her father, Sean Cooper, described the overwhelming relief. “Hearing Ava say those words, ‘I’m getting a heart,’ was overwhelming. After everything she’d been through, we were finally one step closer to coming home for good.” Ava was born with multiple heart defects and had four open-heart surgeries before age 5. By summer 2024, her health worsened, leading to her transfer to Cleveland Clinic Children’s. “We did a complete workup to try and see if there was anything else we could do to save her heart. We realized doing more surgeries on her current heart was not going to make her better for the long term. Getting Ava a heart transplant was her best option,” said Dr. Townsend. She was added to the transplant waiting list in September 2024. During the long months in the hospital, her family made memories by hosting Sunday dinners and celebrating holidays. Caregivers even held a father-daughter dance for Ava and her dad. In March 2025, pediatric and congenital heart surgeon Hani Najm, MD, performed the successful transplant. After eight months in the hospital, Ava was able to return home. Since then, she has enjoyed swimming, playing with her sister and friends, and celebrating her 11th birthday. She now looks forward to returning to school. Her mother, Jamie Cooper, expressed the family’s gratitude: “We can't even put into words how thankful we are to our donor family. They’re the reason Ava is here today, and we’re forever grateful.” Ava offered encouragement for others still waiting: “Even though it’s different than being at home, you can still do the things you enjoy. Try to make the most of each day.”