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Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts | 501 S. Sapodilla Ave, WPB, FL 33401

THE MUSE

Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts | 501 S. Sapodilla Ave, WPB, FL 33401

THE MUSE

Renda travels for a heart transplant

Theatre senior relocates to New York in hopes of alleviating heart condition
Theatre senior Aidan Renda is pictured after his first open heart surgery at 10-days-old. Renda was born without his left ventricle.
Photo courtesy of Aidan Renda
Theatre senior Aidan Renda is pictured after his first open heart surgery at 10-days-old. Renda was born without his left ventricle.

Not many 9-year-olds are brave enough to jump off the high dive at the local swimming pool, but theatre senior Aidan Renda had all the courage in the world. He had climbed the rungs all the way to the top only to have his mother shout for him to come back down.

He insisted on jumping, even going as far as to walk to the end of the board before reluctantly climbing back down. Renda had a pacemaker implanted at the age of 2, and jumping off the high dive would damage the device. After three open heart surgeries and biennial pacemaker battery replacements, Renda is now on the waitlist for a heart transplant surgery in New York.

“I was born with a disease called single ventricle which means I was born without the left ventricle of my heart, so I only have three chambers instead of the usual four,” Renda said. “One of the side effects of the open heart surgery I had is another disease called Protein Losing Enteropathy. Basically, it makes you lose the protein in your body, which is part of the reason why I’m small. There’s drugs you can take for the P.L.E which I’ve been taking since I was 10. Those drugs aren’t working anymore, so I’m going to New York to get a heart transplant.”

Receiving a heart transplant is unlike any other surgery. Patients don’t have an appointment for it, but rather get a phone call at any time asking them to come to the hospital for a new heart. Members of the waitlist must live within a four-hour radius of the hospital and must have a bag packed to go at all times.

“A lot of what [Renda] has had to deal with is more than most people have to deal with in their lifetime. I feel like he’s handled it in stride, taking every challenge day by day,” Renda’s mother Patricia Martino said.

After researching doctors across the United States, Renda’s parents decided moving to New York was the best option when it came to waiting for a new heart.

“New York [has] a shorter wait time [along with] new techniques with high success rates,” Ms. Martino said. “Aidan has not let his health interfere with kid things- going to school, hanging out with friends, and being in plays.”

Renda has a Gofundme to fund his medical expenses in New York. Click on this link to donate to his account.

Theatre senior Aidan Renda has enjoyed cooking since a young age despite his heart condition. Renda cooks almost every night for his family.
Photo courtesy of Aidan Renda
Theatre senior Aidan Renda has enjoyed cooking since a young age despite his heart condition. Renda cooks almost every night for his family.

Renda got involved in theatre at a young age, partially because he couldn’t participate in sports. Theatre was a way for Renda to express his energy in a way that wouldn’t damage his health.

“I’ve known Aidan since like 6th grade,” theatre senior Rachael Labes said. “He handles his condition amazingly, and it’s easy to forget that he even has a condition because we all have such a strong relationship. He’s always poking fun at all of his friends and having a good time.”

High school challenges the ordinary student, but for Renda it was all the more difficult. According to Ms. Martino, her son often deals with the side effects of his medications. Sometimes these include pains, aches, and a severely weakened immune system.

“I feel like I never get enough sleep. I get random pains in my stomach, legs, and body. I can’t do anything until it goes away,” Renda said. “I get sick a lot easier than most people, and my blood thinners cause me to bruise very easily.”

Renda estimates that the aggregate days of all his hospital stays amount to over a year. During his junior year Renda was on Hospital Homebound, which is a program for kids who are too sick to go to school. Because his days were divided by online school and bi-weekly tutoring sessions, Renda volunteered at Saint Mary’s Hospital to spend time with hospitalized children.

“Just doing something simple like playing a video game with a patient could make their stay just a little bit more enjoyable,” Renda said. “They’re sick of doctors coming into their rooms 24/7, and it’s nice to see someone who’s not there to talk about their condition.”

After volunteering at St. Mary’s Hospital, Renda decided he wants to become a child life specialist after getting a bachelor’s degree  in psychology.

“I know it’s kind of weird that for someone who’s spent their entire life in a hospital want to be in a hospital all over again, but it feels like home. I can understand these kids more because I’ve been through it. I know what they want to hear and what they don’t,” Renda said.

After his heart transplant, Renda looks forward to going to school in New York and pursuing his dream job as a child life specialist. He wishes to change the lives of other children who are sick.

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