CHICAGO — Climbing over 1,600 stairs inside the former John Hancock Center is an impressive feat on its own. But for Laura Valentine, it symbolized survival just months after enduring one of the most complex dual organ transplants ever performed at a Chicago hospital.
This June marked the one-year anniversary of her rare heart and liver transplant — a milestone made possible by medical innovation and her relentless determination.
Born with Half a Heart and Mirror-Image Organs
Valentine was born with only one heart ventricle, a rare condition that left her skin bluish and limited her oxygen supply as an infant. She also has situs inversus, a congenital condition where her internal organs are reversed — with her heart on the right side and liver on the left.
“If we hugged, our hearts would touch,” she explained.
Despite these challenges, she underwent open-heart surgery as a toddler, pursued college, raised a child, and built a career in education.
2023 Health Crisis Leads to Life-Saving Surgery
Things changed in July 2023, when doctors discovered that Valentine had developed silent atrial fibrillation, a condition that caused blood clots in her organs. While blood thinners offered short-term relief, her heart eventually began to fail — causing cirrhosis of the liver.
She began a rigorous “prehabilitation” program, walking four miles daily in the hospital to prepare for what would be a 20-hour, two-organ transplant.
As detailed in CBS Chicago’s coverage, Valentine’s transplant was a rare and risky procedure performed by UChicago Medicine’s elite surgical team.
Doctors Use 3D Model to Rebuild Her Body
Her surgical team, led by Dr. Valluvan Jeevanandam, used a 3D-printed model of her torso to plan the surgery. They had to reposition her blood vessels and rotate her organs to ensure the new heart and liver would fit properly.
“We moved all the vessels from the left side to the right side to fit a heart,” said Dr. Jeevanandam. “She is really, really special.”
Surgeons called it one of the most complex procedures they’ve done — one requiring real-time coordination between heart and liver transplant teams.
From the OR to 94 Flights of Stairs
Just months later, Valentine joined the Hustle Chicago stair climb in the city’s former John Hancock Center — ascending more than 1,600 steps with her fiancé by her side and Celine Dion in her headphones.
The event marked a powerful recovery milestone and symbol of her advocacy.
Now an Advocate for Organ Donation
Today, Valentine is using her experience to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation, encouraging Illinois residents to register as donors and support life-saving transplant programs.
Has a transplant changed your life or someone you love? Share your experience at ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com.
