Heart To Heart With Anna

Send us a textTyler Šajdák wasn't supposed to grow up. Born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome in 1993, he was part of a generation receiving experimental surgeries with uncertain outcomes. Today, at 31, he works as an academic advisor, pursues a master's degree, and serves as a powerful advocate for the adult congenital heart defect community."I've been told by people that just by looking at me, they wouldn't know that I had a heart defect," Tyler shares during our conversation. This invisibility is both a blessing and a challenge for the growing population of adult CHD survivors who must navigate a healthcare system still learning how to treat them.Tyler's involvement with Single Ventricle One (SV1) - the recently unified organization combining pre-Fontan and post-Fontan networks - puts him at the forefront of efforts to improve care for adults with complex heart conditions. "I think my role is making sure the other planners are thinking of how the adults can be ser