Girl Gets New Heart
By: LaTonya Stephens
Updated: May 26, 2008
A 12 year old Evansville girl gets a new heart and a new lease on life.
SaDeria Cheatem was born with an atrial septal defect or a hole in her heart.
Shes had health problems since birth.
But last September her Mother Sandra Smith says her health got worse.
The soon to be 7th grader would just lay around and according to her mother ...sleep all the time.
Smith says doctors at Riley hospital in Indianapolis finally told her in November, her daughter needed a heart transplant.
And on the day of April 9th after more than 12 hours of surgery thats exactly what she got..
Smith says it was just a wonderful thing, both staying in the Ronald McDonald house as doctors monitored for signs of rejection.
Finally returning home to Evanville just this Wednesday.
SaDeria takes 12 pills a day and receives weekly therapy but says she feels great.
The soon to be 7th grader and her mother credit the doctors and staff at Riley for helping them both make it through.
Smith says she would also like to thank the donor family for the gift they gave her daughter.
