by Hannah Stoll (Mother of August)
August was born with a rare form of congenital heart disease. He has been in Vanderbilt’s care since he was 12 days old after he almost died in my arms at home of heart failure. He was quickly airlifted to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, where eventually we were told he has the most complicated heart disease they’ve seen. He has no developmental problems otherwise.
He spent the first 2 months of his life inpatient. From there, he had 5 more stays for complications.
He went in for open-heart surgery on June 8th. It was at first believed to be successful but was considered a failed intervention a few days later.
The heart team at Vanderbilt told us there was nothing else they could do but transplant. We were heartbroken. We began a series of eligibility tests for August to be placed on the transplant list.
August was placed on a ventilator, and they have been scrambling to keep him stable ever since. His heart cannot even function well enough to help him breathe. He is in terrible condition. He is dying.
Very long story short, the transplant team (specifically Dr. David Bearl) gave us an ultimatum that if we did not give August a series of vaccines, he would keep him off the transplant list. He specifically used the phrase, “I am mandating,” about 8 times during our first conversation about this.
The second conversation, I reasoned and debated with him over the insanity of giving my baby vaccines with a huge risk of a negative outcome, on a severely immunosuppressed child on their death bed. He continued to refuse. I asked him if this was legal. He said no. I asked if this was policy. He said no.
Our third conversation (this morning), he came and asked me if I had any more questions. I asked if he changed his mind. He said no.
So here we are. I firmly believe with absolute confidence that it is despicable, unethical, heartless, and disgusting to withhold a heart from a 6-month-old baby over this. I believe loading his body on these [vaccines] will kill him. I believe it is within my rights as a parent to choose this for him. I believe that this doctor holding this over us is motivated by ego.
As his parents, we have a responsibility to protect our son at all costs. He is dying, and time is of the essence.
We want to be clear that we have no issue with any other of the Vanderbilt cardiology team. They have been wonderful to us and our son. It is specifically the pediatric transplant team that is stopping August from getting a heart.
A message from mother, Hannah Stoll, pleading for the life of Baby August.
by Hannah Stoll (Mother of August)
August was born with a rare form of congenital heart disease. He has been in Vanderbilt’s care since he was 12 days old after he almost died in my arms at home of heart failure. He was quickly airlifted to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, where eventually we were told he has the most complicated heart disease they’ve seen. He has no developmental problems otherwise.
He spent the first 2 months of his life inpatient. From there, he had 5 more stays for complications.
He went in for open-heart surgery on June 8th. It was at first believed to be successful but was considered a failed intervention a few days later.
The heart team at Vanderbilt told us there was nothing else they could do but transplant. We were heartbroken. We began a series of eligibility tests for August to be placed on the transplant list.
August was placed on a ventilator, and they have been scrambling to keep him stable ever since. His heart cannot even function well enough to help him breathe. He is in terrible condition. He is dying.
Very long story short, the transplant team (specifically Dr. David Bearl) gave us an ultimatum that if we did not give August a series of vaccines, he would keep him off the transplant list. He specifically used the phrase, “I am mandating,” about 8 times during our first conversation about this.
The second conversation, I reasoned and debated with him over the insanity of giving my baby vaccines with a huge risk of a negative outcome, on a severely immunosuppressed child on their death bed. He continued to refuse. I asked him if this was legal. He said no. I asked if this was policy. He said no.
Our third conversation (this morning), he came and asked me if I had any more questions. I asked if he changed his mind. He said no.
So here we are. I firmly believe with absolute confidence that it is despicable, unethical, heartless, and disgusting to withhold a heart from a 6-month-old baby over this. I believe loading his body on these [vaccines] will kill him. I believe it is within my rights as a parent to choose this for him. I believe that this doctor holding this over us is motivated by ego.
As his parents, we have a responsibility to protect our son at all costs. He is dying, and time is of the essence.
We want to be clear that we have no issue with any other of the Vanderbilt cardiology team. They have been wonderful to us and our son. It is specifically the pediatric transplant team that is stopping August from getting a heart.
The medical costs will be mounting. You can go to this donor portal that has been set up directly by the family on GiveSendGo.
Thankful to Todd Starnes for the opportunity to share this story on national radio. Here is a clip on the facts here in Tennessee.
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Gary Humble
Gary Humble