Atticus & Sapphire
Atticus was still in his mother’s womb in the state of Oregon when he was diagnosed with Ebstein’s anomaly – a rare heart condition that occurs when the tricuspid valve separating the top and bottom right heart chambers doesn’t close as it should. His mom, Mary, knew this could lead to severe complications after her son was born. When she learned about Drs. José and Luciana da Silva at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, they made the trip across the country for Atticus’s surgery.
In January 2024, Dr. José da Silva performed a cone procedure, which he invented in 1993, to fix Atticus’s heart. Everything went well, but after heart surgery, patients should have a pillow or another stuffed item to hold against their chest when they cough. Atticus had a dragon named Sapphire to fill this important role.
Atticus brought Sapphire back to West Coast with him as a reminder of his recovery process in Pittsburgh. And his mom is forever thankful for the surgeons who worked to ensure her first-born child could continue living.
“Meeting the da Silvas was like meeting Nikola Tesla,” Mary explains. “The connection they made with Atticus was so heartwarming. They are his superheroes."
Atticus’s treatment and results may not be representative of all similar cases.