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Kim
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"They never hesitated when we had a question, and seemed to know all the answers immediately." KRISTI KOERS Sometimes, the cardiac miracle lies in detection and diagnosis, rather than the treatment itself. Because Indianapolis native Kimberly Koers was never restricted by the heart murmur her pediatricians heard, they had never ordered further testing. At sixteen, she was six feet tall, exceptionally strong, and a valuable player on Bishop Chatard High School's basketball team. Then, athlete John Stewart collapsed on the court and died of heart problems. Schools began ordering more stringent pre-season physicals for their athletes, and an echocardiogram revealed a hole the size of a quarter in Kimberly's heart. Instead of suiting up for basketball practice, she found herself being prepped for surgery at Riley. Kim and her mother did their best to hide their fears from one another. Yet both say they felt fortunate to be in Indianapolis. "You always hear about success stories at Riley," Kimberly explained. The procedure lasted about six hours. "Every hour, someone from surgery would come out and update us," says Kimberly's mother Kristi. In the ICU they found a nurse dedicated exclusively to Kimberly's care and were impressed by the kindness and expertise of the entire nursing staff. Kimberly's worries that she wouldn't play basketball again were put to rest. She arrived on the court just weeks after her surgery and played a full season with no ill effects. Yet Kim's athletic career may nonetheless be curtailed. She's concerned that playing sports in college could interfere with her new passion - studying to become a pediatric nurse, like the ones she met at Riley Hospital.
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