At just 39 days old, Eleanor Welsh has already endured a lifetime of medical battles. Diagnosed in the womb with congenital heart disease, she underwent open-heart surgery at just three days old. Now, with a machine pumping blood through her tiny body, doctors have determined her heart cannot be repaired—she needs a transplant to survive.
Her parents, Laura and Tyler Welsh, face the painful reality that their daughter’s survival depends on another family’s loss. “A miracle for us is somebody else’s worst nightmare,” they said, grappling with the emotional weight of their daughter’s fight for life. Dr. Alexander Rasin, a pediatric cardiologist at Children’s Wisconsin, notes that Eleanor’s condition is extremely rare, affecting less than 1% of congenital heart disease cases.
While Eleanor lies in the ICU with her chest open, her community has rallied around her family. Dubbed “Eleanor’s Army,” neighbors and loved ones have organized meal trains, school pickups, and constant support for the Welshes and their five other children. Their faith and the kindness of those around them have helped them navigate this overwhelming journey.
Eleanor isn’t yet strong enough to be placed on the transplant list, and even when she is, the wait could take months as factors like heart size, blood type, and availability must align perfectly. Meanwhile, her family hopes her story will raise awareness about the critical need for organ donation, knowing that if the situation were reversed, they would want to give another child a second chance at life.
