Each football season, we team up with Fresno State for a once in a lifetime experience for some of our patients. At every home football game, one Valley Children’s patient is selected to be the Kid Captain of the game. They get to participate in the coin toss with the team, along with being part of the on-field festivities. For the 2023 season, we have six special Kid Captains to introduce you to the day before each big game!
Meet 4-year-old Avery. When she was born, Avery was diagnosed with a heart defect and had to have heart surgery at Valley Children’s. She stayed in the pediatric intensive care unit for one week and is now a patient in our Willson Heart Center, which provides cardiovascular expertise with a personal approach and pioneers new treatments for improved outcomes by national standards.
Avery is now a preschooler who loves to sing, dance and spend time with her siblings. When she grows up, Avery wants to be just like Elsa from Disney's, Frozen. Cheer on Avery and the Bulldogs as they face Kent State at Valley Children’s Stadium on September 23!
More About the Willson Heart Center
Valley Children’s Willson Heart Center has been a pioneer of heart care in the Central Valley for more than 60 years and is long known for its cardiovascular expertise and innovative treatment - especially in diagnosing and treating congenital disorders. The Willson Heart Center has a team of board-certified, pediatric heart specialists who provide care for kids with the most common to the most complex heart conditions. From before birth and for newborns, infants, children and adolescents, our team also treats patients over the age of 21 and well into adulthood to ensure there is no gap in care. Earlier this year, the Center became the only hospital – adult and pediatric – in the state with a 25-year silver level accreditation of excellence for echocardiography.