American victim of a hereditary disease, Sophia Hart, 30, had her heart stop a year ago. Since October 2022, the young woman has been kept alive with an artificial organ while waiting for a suitable donor for a transplant.
Sophia suffers from dilated cardiomyopathy: the condition increases the size of the ventricles, leading to severe heart failure. The condition itself is not uncommon, occurring in one in 500 people, often as a result of illness or the use of medication.
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However, in Sophia’s case, the cardiomyopathy is hereditary and irreversible, so organ transplantation is the only possible treatment.
The young woman discovered that she had the disease at the beginning of 2022, when she began to feel severe pain and fatigue without explanation. “I felt tired that I can’t really describe,” he says in videos he posted on his TikTok account.
Heart in socket
While waiting for a compatible donor, Sophia lives with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) that keeps her heart rate active. The young woman is no longer hospitalized, and is always driven home to make sure the artificial heart is working.
“I use a very large charger and can move around the house without having to unplug it. This way, I can ensure I’ll always have a battery,” explains Sophia. She nicknamed it Janis Joplin’s LVAD after the 1970s rock hit Piece of My Heart.
She says she is very grateful to Janice. “It was what allowed me to get out of the hospital bed. In another scenario, it would still be there.”
Her twin sister, Olivia, has the same disease and had a heart transplant in 2016, but didn’t have to wait long with an LVAD.
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Emily Brontë is a journalist and feature writer specialising in culture, entertainment, literature, and current affairs. She is dedicated to producing clear, accurate reporting that helps readers stay informed about developments in the UK and around the world.
