Megan Pila

Press Release

Our Lady of Peace School’s 4th grader Megan Pilla participated in this weekend’s “2013 American Heart Association Heart Walk” in Roseland NJ. This is the Pilla’s family’s (including Megan’s sister OLP 6th grader Rosemarie Pilla) 4th year participating and raising money for AHA. This year Megan held a Survivor Torch to celebrate her story of survival.

In February 2007 at her 3 year old well visit Megan’s pediatrician detected a heart murmur. Megan was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect called Atrial Septal Defect which is more commonly known as “a hole in the heart.” Megan had open heart surgery in May 2007 at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The heart defect has been repaired and her health is great now and she has no restrictions…she sees a cardiologist at CHOP every year.

Megan participates in gym and sports. The Pilla family donates to CHOP every chance they can because they believe that hospital is a gift from GOD. The care Me- gan received and continues to receive is remarkable. The Pilla family raises money for the American Heart Association and try their best to raise awareness of Congenital Heart Defect’s. CHD Awareness Week is actually the week of Meg’s birthday which is Feb 13th!

Interesting fact ..because so many kids are being diagnosed and treated the first generation of “heart babies” are entering adulthood and CHOP has an entire department dedicated to transitioning them from pediatricians to adult cardiologists because it is a new field of cardiology. With new technology and hospitals like CHOP the survival rate is high and once the children reach 18 they still need to be treated or monitored. So there is a whole new specialty of doctors to treat adults with CHD’s. Megan was first Diagnosed by Dr Freis. Megan was so brave during her surgery and recovery and has told her parents she wants to be a heart surgeon when she grows up to give back and save lives! Megan is a true inspiration to her family.