A Young Girl’s Fight for a Heart Transplant: A Complex Intersection of Medicine, Faith, and Policy

The Heartbreaking Story of Adaline Deal

A 12-year-old girl from Indiana, Adaline Deal, has found herself at the center of a deeply emotional and controversial debate over medical protocols, religious beliefs, and vaccination requirements. Adaline, who is distantly related to Vice President JD Vance through his half-siblings, was born with two rare and serious heart conditions: Ebstein’s anomaly and Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome. Her family has known since birth that she would eventually need a heart transplant to survive. After nearly a decade of treatment at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, her parents hoped she would receive the transplant there. However, the hospital has denied her a spot on the transplant list due to her unvaccinated status against COVID-19 and the flu. This decision has sparked a heated discussion about the balance between medical guidelines, patient autonomy, and religious freedom.

A Family’s Struggle and Beliefs

Adaline’s parents, Janeen and her husband, have been unwavering in their decision not to vaccinate their daughter. They claim this choice is rooted in their religious beliefs as nondenominational Christians, stating that the “Holy Spirit put it on our hearts” to avoid vaccines. Janeen expressed her disbelief and frustration with the hospital’s decision, saying, “I thought, wow. So, it’s not about the kid. It’s not about saving her life.” The family believes vaccines are unsafe, despite overwhelming medical evidence supporting their efficacy and safety. This stance has put them at odds with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, which requires transplant patients to be vaccinated due to their heightened vulnerability to infections.

The Medical Rationale Behind Vaccination Requirements

The hospital’s decision to deny Adaline a spot on the transplant list is based on well-established medical guidelines. Transplant patients are immunocompromised, meaning their bodies are less capable of fighting off infections. For someone like Adaline, who already has severe pre-existing heart conditions, the risks of contracting COVID-19 or the flu are especially dire. Dr. Camille Kotton, a leading expert in transplant and infectious diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital, explains that transplant recipients are at a lifelong risk of severe disease from infections like COVID-19. The first year after a transplant is particularly critical, but the risks do not diminish entirely over time. Vaccinations are considered a crucial protective measure for these vulnerable patients.

A Family’s Hopes and Fears

Janeen Deal remains resolute in her family’s decision, expressing confidence that they will manage the risks of COVID-19 and other illnesses without vaccination. “We’ll take it as we can if it happens,” she said. However, this stance puts Adaline at significant risk, especially given her fragile health condition. The family, which includes 11 other children, is now exploring alternative transplant centers that may be willing to accommodate their beliefs. A GoFundMe page set up to support Adaline’s transplant has raised over $50,000, demonstrating the widespread public interest and sympathy for her case.

The Hospital’s Position: Science and Best Practices

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital has declined to comment specifically on Adaline’s case, but a spokesperson emphasized that all clinical decisions are “guided by science research and best practices.” The hospital follows guidelines set by the National Institutes of Health, which strongly recommend vaccinations for transplant patients. The spokesperson added that care plans are tailored to each patient in collaboration with their families to ensure the safest and most effective treatment. While the hospital’s stance is rooted in medical evidence, it has left the Deal family feeling disheartened and marginalized.

A Larger Debate: Balancing Medical Protocols and Personal Beliefs

Adaline’s case highlights a broader ethical dilemma: how to balance individual beliefs with medical protocols designed to save lives. While the medical community emphasizes the importance of vaccinations for immunocompromised patients, families like the Deals argue for the right to make medical decisions based on their personal values and faith. This tension is not unique to Adaline’s case, as debates over vaccine mandates and religious exemptions continue to unfold across the country. As Adaline and her family search for a transplant center willing to accommodate their beliefs, the outcome of her story will undoubtedly resonate far beyond her own circumstances, sparking deeper conversations about the intersection of medicine, faith, and autonomy.