Maddie’s Heart Milestones

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As the morning sunbathes the colorful array of flowers before her in a gentle light, Maddie Grace reaches to make selections for a perfect bouquet.

“The bells of Ireland are my favorite,” Maddie says as she pulls the long, elegant stems from a vase. “We also have sweet williams, and these are called pincushions.”

Maddie refers to her work at the Pistil House, a St. Petersburg flower and wine bar, as a “dream job.” She loves connecting with people and helping them to turn little moments into celebrations with the blooms she selects.

At age 25, Maddie has a unique appreciation for embracing life’s special moments.

That has everything to do with the life she’s lived.

By all accounts, her life’s journey — certainly, her medical journey — has been extraordinary.

Maddie’s History

Maddie was born with a rare, severe congenital heart condition called an interrupted aortic arch (IAA). She has undergone two heart transplants and a kidney transplant, and so very much in between.

Her earliest years of treatment were in Tampa, but starting at age 3, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital became part of the backdrop of her childhood.

It was All Children’s back then. Maddie received care at the former hospital on Sixth Street until the new state-of-the-art facility, now Johns Hopkins All Children’s, was built.

A central figure in her treatment was Alfred Asante-Korang, M.D., a skilled and compassionate pediatric cardiologist dedicated to the care of heart transplant patients and accustomed to complex, high-risk cases.

Three-year-old Maddie didn’t know it then, but this doctor and his talented team would guide the young patient through the next two decades of care.

“This is a lifetime journey,” says Melanie, Maddie’s mom. “It’s a journey of trust, and Maddie absolutely trusted him.”

“The more complex a medical condition is, the more frequently I’ll see the patient,” Asante-Korang says. “There are more procedures, more hospitalizations, more testing. We get close to our families. Maddie knew we were there for her.”

Hospital With Heart

This year, Maddie is celebrating 10 years with her second transplanted heart, just as Johns Hopkins All Children’s celebrates its 100th birthday.

“I wish them the happiest of birthdays,” Maddie says. “Thank you for working to heal every sick kid that comes through those doors. That’s why I’m here, because of All Children’s.”

“To see patients like Maddie thrive, this is the joy of practicing medicine,” Asante-Korang says.

Maddie has transitioned into adult care. She is healthy now, but her life is not ordinary. She takes 15 medications daily. Her schedule is peppered with doctor visits and IV infusions, and on bad days, trips to the E.R. She will likely have more surgeries in her future.

While life’s journey is uncertain, Maddie is determined to make the most of hers.

“Life is never going to be perfect,” Maddie says. “But find the good moments. You’ll remember them forever. One day you’ll be able to look back and see all that you have overcome.”

To read more stories like Maddie’s, visit HopkinsAllChildrens.org/Newsroom.

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*Presented by Jhons Hopkins All Children's Hospital | Originally published in the May 2026 issue of Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine