YOLANDA’S THREE TRANSPLANTS AND ONE HISTORIC BIRTH

Yolanda Ishaq was the first heart transplant recipient to have a child at Stanford Health Care. Today, that “child” is 27 years old, with children of her own—Yolanda’s grandchildren.

Yolanda went on to have a second heart transplant and a kidney transplant.

“Stanford has saved my life twice,” she says. “They’ve also given my daughter life. I wouldn’t have my grandson or second grandchild. Three generations would not be here.”

Yolanda had been diagnosed with an enlarged heart that could no longer effectively pump blood. When medical therapy failed to improve her condition, Yolanda’s doctor referred her to Stanford, where she had her heart transplant.

Stanford Health Care performed the first adult human heart transplant in the U.S. That was more than 50 years ago. Today, ours is the oldest continuously operating heart transplant center in the world; to date, we have performed more than 1,200 heart transplants. We also performed the first successful simultaneous transplant of the heart and lungs.

Yolanda became pregnant a year after her transplant procedure. At the time, we discouraged heart transplant patients from giving birth due to the risk of complications. But Yolanda was willing to do whatever it would take to have a baby. “That’s how I had my daughter,” said Yolanda. “She is the first baby born to a heart transplant recipient at Stanford. The delivery room was packed with 28 people, all of whom wanted to witness the historic birth.”

Three years ago, Yolanda’s heart and kidneys began to fail. So, she received a second heart transplant as well as a kidney transplant.

For Yolanda’s daughter Monique, Stanford is home. “It’s where my son was born. It’s where I was born,” she said. “And it’s where my mom got her new lives. Stanford is definitely a special place for us.”