Finn Hanson was three months old when his parents learned his heart was failing. Today, he’s a healthy 13-year-old who dreams of playing in the NBA.
Amber and Jeff Hanson had a feeling something was wrong with Finn when they were about to fly back to Victoria after a trip to Ontario to introduce their firstborn to Jeff’s family.
They took him to hospital out of an abundance of caution after noticing changes to his mannerisms. He had become fussy, was sweating and breathing heavily, and was struggling when nursed.
When they learned how serious Finn’s condition was, everything changed.
“It just came out of the blue,” Amber said. “We were blindsided.”
Finn was quickly admitted to the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, where, after 10 days of tests, tears and tough conversations with medical staff, he was listed for a heart transplant.
“It’s like one big foggy blur,” said Jeff, adding that every day came with new challenges and successes. At one point, doctors suggested palliative care if a donor heart didn’t come through.
After a week of waiting, the family got a call at 3 a.m. that a heart was available for Finn.
The couple described not knowing if they would ever see Finn alive again after he was wheeled down the hallway into the operating room.
“We kissed him on the forehead and told him we loved him, and we said goodbye,” Amber said.
Finn emerged out of a successful surgery with a new heart and a second chance at life. One month after being admitted to hospital, he was discharged.
Since then, Finn has had a regular childhood, and has poured his heart into playing basketball.
Jeff and Amber go to all of Finn’s practices. They say it means everything to be able to watch their son come alive on the court after seeing him so sick as a baby. “It’s amazing to see,” Amber said. “Seeing him thrive in a competitive environment like that is awesome.”
“Every time we see him play, we just know it supports a strong heart,” said Jeff, noting that it’s hard to know if Finn would be thriving without the physical activity that basketball provides.
Finn goes to B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver twice a year for checkups. Doctors there say he’s “the picture of health.”
At the hospital, doctors carefully monitor Finn’s heart and lungs by having him run on a treadmill with an oxygen-detecting mask.
“He’s always blowing those records out of the water,” Amber said.
The Simon Keith Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting the families of young organ transplant recipients, held a gala on Saturday night at the Victoria Conference Centre to raise money for kids like Finn. A video showcasing Finn’s story was presented at the gala, and his family joined him on stage with Keith to highlight what a transplant survivor can become.
The Hanson family connected with Keith this year, when a friend who worked for the foundation told them they were looking for a transplant story that mirrored Keith’s — an athlete who overcame the challenges of transplant through determination.
Keith, a University of Victoria soccer player, received a new heart at age 21. He went on to become the first athlete to play professionally after having a heart transplant.
Since meeting the family, Keith has watched some of Finn’s basketball practices and served as a mentor for the young athlete.
“Finn now has a role model — somebody that he can look up to,” said Jeff. Keith serves as proof for Finn that heart transplant recipients can lead active, successful lives, he said.
The teen’s dream is to make the basketball team in high school, before playing the sport at university and, ultimately, going pro.
Amber said the Simon Keith Foundation plays a key role in helping Finn, and plenty of others like him, feel confident on and off the court.
“It’s about making sure that kids can live a normal life, and they’re not held back by their circumstances.”
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