Meet Angelica

When Angelica was just four years old, she was diagnosed with anaplastic large cell lymphoma. It was a terrifying time for her family. Angelica underwent chemotherapy and was in remission for 14 years. In remission, she attended high school, participated in plays and helped with household chores.

Things took a turn in the summer of 2018 when she was diagnosed with heart failure that her doctors believed was a result of receiving chemotherapy at such a young age. They didn’t think her condition would progress as fast as it did, but soon Angelica was in need of a new heart. “I felt so sick,” Angelica remembers. “I know it can be a long wait for a transplant and I was worried I wouldn’t live long enough to get my new heart.”

Angelica’s health continued to worsen, and she spent her 19th birthday in the hospital. It wasn’t long before she underwent surgery to implant a Left Ventricular Assist Device, also known as an LVAD. The battery-operated pump helps the left side of her heart circulate blood throughout her body. “The LVAD made a huge difference, but I know I won’t be healthy until I get a new heart,” Angelica says. “I don’t have enough energy to go to school and I have to spend a lot of my time at home resting.”

Angelica was listed for a heart transplant on March 27, 2019, before receiving her new organ almost exactly three years later.

When she came out of the surgery, Sanchez recalled the amazing feeling of a healthy new heart beating in her chest.

“I just felt so strong, the pounding of the heart,” she said. “... I’m going into this new year with a new heart of mine. It’s like a fresh new beginning, a whole new year with a new heart. I feel amazing, so great.”