They called it a Heart Party. An appropriate title since it was held on Valentine's day. But this party had an extra special meaning. It was held for hundreds of current and former patients who at one time have had heart surgery at Rady Children's Hospital.
One of the guests was a young boy who had open heart surgery when he was just two days old.
"These are kids who have gone on to lead perfectly normal lives," said Dr. John Lamberti, director of the Rady Children's Hospital Heart Institute. "It's wonderful to see the effects of our work," he said.
The Institute performs between 350 to 400 closed and open heart surgeries a year, according to Dr. Lamberti. This is the 27th year the hospital has put on the event, which is usually held on or around Valentine's day.
The Heart Institute is the largest pediatric cardiology program in San Diego, Imperial and Orange counties and the second busiest in California.
