A Winnipeg woman received a new life-saving device after experiencing heart failure.
Kristin Millar, 27, is only the third Manitoban to receive the new device, called a ventricular assist device (VAD).
A year ago, she went to hospital.
"I went to emergency and then they looked at my heart and I found out that it had completely failed," said Millar.
Doctors had to move swiftly.
"We had hours to make decisions. She was getting sicker in front of our eyes," said Dr. Shelley Zieroth, a cardiologist with St. Boniface Hospital.
Just a couple of years ago, a patient in a similar condition would have to be stabilized and then transferred out of province for treatment. But Millar likely wouldn't have survived the trip, said health officials.
Fortunately, doctors at St. Boniface Hospital were able to implant the VAD, which is powered by a battery small enough to fit into a purse.
"It connects to the heart, drains blood from the heart and then pumps it back to the aorta to supply the circulation to the rest of the body…and you can take someone who's near death back to health," said Dr. Darren Freed, director of the surgical heart failure program.
"I felt really great with it…I wasn't exhausted. I could eat, which was the major thing," said Millar.
Since receiving the device, Millar has returned to her job providing television programming for kids at the Children's Hospital.
While the VAD has allowed her to resume a relatively normal life, Millar still needs a heart transplant.
When a heart becomes available, Millar will have to leave Winnipeg for the procedure.
In the future, the St. Boniface Hospital is hoping it will be eventually able to perform heart transplants in Winnipeg.
The hospital's foundation is holding a 13-hour fundraiser on Oct. 14 on the radio stations Curve 94. 3 FM and 99.9 BOB FM.
- with a report from CTV's Jon Hendricks
