The Huffman family is grateful that Arielle has a bright future ahead of her thanks to high-quality specialty care you help to provide and a Centra pediatric cardiologist who has guided her health journey since before she was born.
No parent wants to hear that their young child is going to need a pacemaker.
The Huffman family is grateful that it was pediatric cardiologist Brent Carothers, MD, delivering the news about the next step needed to ensure that Arielle could continue to live a full and energetic life.
“I won’t ever forget that conversation,” Jennifer shared. “It was this past March.”
Despite the difficult news, the family was not worried thanks to the relationship they had built with Dr. Carothers and his team over more than a decade.
“Dr. Carothers has cared for Arielle since before she was born,” Jennifer said. “He knows her entire health journey and has guided her care each step of the way. We knew we could trust him when he said it would make her feel so much better. He has definitely earned our trust. We could not have asked for a better pediatric cardiologist to manage her health conditions. He has shown genuine care since day one.”
First steps after ‘a scary prenatal diagnosis’
When Jennifer was pregnant with Arielle, prenatal technology detected that something was not quite right.
“I had already had three really healthy babies, so I didn’t think my pregnancy with Arielle would be any different,” Jennifer said. “That turned out not to be the case. We received a scary prenatal diagnosis. That’s how I was referred to and met Dr. Carothers.”
Arielle was born with dextrocardia, a congenital condition where the heart is on the right side of the chest instead of the left, and heterotaxy, a condition where multiple organs can be in the wrong position, missing or abnormally formed. In Arielle’s case, “her heart and other organs are reversed,” according to Jennifer. “Her heart was also not pumping like it should have been, and she had some leakage.”
Dr. Carothers, who is certified in pediatrics and pediatric cardiology, helped to guide Arielle’s care and the family’s decisions.
“She had her first surgery at only six months old after going into heart failure,” Jennifer shared. “During the surgery, which took place elsewhere, leads – thin wires that connect a pacemaker to the heart – were placed for when Arielle would eventually need a pacemaker. Dr. Carothers helped to determine and coordinate her care as he has all along.”
Pediatric heart care at Centra
Heart failure, pacemaker and cardiologist are not words usually associated with children. However, children diagnosed with congenital heart disease, arrhythmia or other serious heart conditions require a doctor and care team who can provide advanced specialty care.
Centra has pediatric and fetal cardiology clinics as well as an adult congenital cardiology clinic since some problems can require lifelong follow-up care.
Dr. Carothers is based at Centra Medical Group Heart & Vascular Institute Lynchburg (HVI). He sees patients up to 18 years of age at HVI, Lynchburg General, Virginia Baptist, and in clinics in Gretna and Farmville.
“For communities of our size to get specialized care for unique conditions and health concerns, it’s a big deal,” Jennifer said. “It’s a big deal to have that kind of talent right here in our city.”
Dr. Carothers expresses gratitude for those who support enhanced care for our community. He also gives through the Centra Foundation, calling it “a powerful mechanism for supporting families in our community.”
Gifts through the Foundation provide innovative medical technology and equipment, enhanced facilities, healing programs, free screenings and services, support and advanced training for Caregivers, and more. In turn, this enhances patient care, ensures clinical excellence and helps to attract top physicians.
The equipment includes echocardiogram machines, which are “central to diagnosing and following congenital heart disease,” Dr. Carothers said. “Funding has also been allocated toward countless upgrades on the pediatric floor and in the Neonatal Intensive Care Nursery, where many of my patients receive inpatient treatment. I am grateful to donors for helping to make local pediatric specialty care a reality.”
The Foundation has recently also committed funding for a cardiac PET/CT and another da Vinci robotic surgical system for Lynchburg General, plus other funding to maintain and enhance care for heart and vascular patients.
Next steps and sharing gratitude
To assess Arielle, “Dr. Carothers usually orders an echocardiogram and other tests at least once a year. We rely on the results and his assessment to tell us what the next steps are each time. He always breaks it down so we can understand and puts us at ease.”
On a recent visit, both Jennifer and Arielle are all smiles. Dr. Carothers asks how their day is going, offers hugs, chats with Arielle about her recent activities and interests, and asks how she is feeling with her new pacemaker.
Arielle, who received an award for good citizen of the year at her local elementary school and has expressed thoughts of going into the medical field one day, flashes a bright smile.
“It’s always a joy each time we see Dr. Carothers,” Jennifer said. “I don’t think I have shared this, but I would like to tell him that he has not only cared for her heart, he has cared for her as a person.”
The Huffman family recently shared their story and made a gift out of gratitude. Jennifer, a local businesswoman and senior vice president of solutions banking at Atlantic Union Bank, is also proud that Atlantic Union Bank is a corporate sponsor for the Centra Foundation’s Centra Celebration gala.
“We have a lot to be thankful for,” Jennifer said. “When you get that type of care and kindness that we have received, it’s contagious. It makes you want to pay it forward.”
Have you or a loved one received excellent care at Centra? Saying ‘thank you’ and expressing your appreciation by sharing your personal words of gratitude can uplift your dedicated team of Caregivers, be a powerful part of the healing process, inspire generosity and impact patients.
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