We Are
Eli's LionHeart Foundation
Offering aid & building a community of support for families affected by CHD Congenital Heart Defects.
All proceeds go directly to the families of CHD children to assist with their medical expenses.
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The Inspiration
Eli Joseph Dziak was born on July 6th 2022, and was diagnosed with Kabuki Syndrome. This genetic disorder caused him to suffer from seizures and sever reflux but the most serious complication being Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS). HLHS affects the left side of the heart, which is responsible for pumping oxygenated blood to the body. The medical team's goal was to reconfigure the heart's pathways to enable the right side of the heart to perform the duties of both the left and right sides over the course of 3 open heart surgeries. However, due to complications he had to be placed on kidney dialysis and the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machine (ECMO) 3 different times. In total he underwent 5 open heart surgeries, 3 of which happened over a period of just 5 days.
In December of 2022 he was given less than a 20% chance of survival. His unwavering spirit overcame those odds, for a time anyway. Unfortunately he went on to have 2 cardiac arrests, one in March and the second in May of 2023. Despite the doctor's best efforts, his little body just couldn't recover from all the trauma. Eli Joseph passed away on July 7th 2023 in the loving embrace of his mother and father. Eli fought until his last breath; his warrior spirit will live on forever through this foundation. Leaving a positive impact by building a community of support for families that are faced with similar challenges.
The Hard Truth
1%
1 in 100 babies in the US are born with a Congenital Heart Defect CHD
(both critical and non-critical)
25%
1 in 4 babies born with a Congenital Heart Defect
has a critical CHD
Out of that group 25% won't see their first birthday
1/3841
1 in 3,841 babies are born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome; HLHS accounts for about 2% of all Congenital Heart Defects in the US