ANNANDALE, Minn. — A Minnesota community is coming together for 10-year-old Henry Dolan, an Annandale boy who is facing the possibility of a second heart transplant.
Henry was born prematurely with two serious heart defects and, as a baby, was given only a 2% chance of survival. After receiving a donor heart, he eventually left the hospital and grew up like many other children in the Annandale area, becoming known as an active, sports-loving kid.
That changed this summer when Henry began telling his family that he did not feel well.
His doctors later determined that the transplanted heart was failing. Henry is now living with heart failure and going through the process of being evaluated and relisted for another transplant.
His family has since learned that Henry has stage 4 cardiac allograft vasculopathy, a serious condition that can cause severe narrowing of the blood vessels supplying a transplanted heart.
Community steps up for Henry
Friends, neighbors and supporters gathered Tuesday at Tacos La Chule in South Haven for a fundraiser organized to help the Dolan family with the expenses ahead.
The restaurant donated half of its day’s profits to the family. The response from the community kept the restaurant busy throughout the event, with Henry’s grandmother, Cathy Dolan, even stepping in to help serve customers.
Cathy joked that her previous experience working at Perkins came in handy.
The fundraiser is part of a larger effort to support Henry and his family as they prepare for an extended period of medical care.
A second transplant could mean a long hospital stay
Henry’s family is preparing for care at Mayo Clinic in Rochester as doctors work through the next stage of his treatment.
Because of the severity of his condition, Henry is expected to spend his wait for a donor heart in the hospital rather than returning home for the entire waiting period.
His family expects the process could keep them in Rochester for an extended period, creating additional travel, living and medical-related expenses while they continue caring for Henry and his sisters.
A family fundraising campaign has been established to help with those costs, including travel, lost income, uncovered medical expenses and other necessities during Henry’s treatment.
Henry continues to look ahead
Despite the uncertainty surrounding his health, Henry has continued to focus on moving forward.
His family has described him as a child who has spent much of his life overcoming difficult medical challenges. Now, at 10 years old, he faces another uncertain chapter.
The family has been sharing updates about Henry’s condition and his transplant journey through the Hope for Henry effort, allowing supporters to follow his progress and learn how they can help.
For a boy who once defied doctors’ expectations as a newborn, the next chapter will again depend on medical care, family support and the availability of a suitable donor heart.
