Noblesville Family in Spotlight as Riley Champions

A ring from a dial phone broke the 14-hour silence in the surgery waiting area at Riley Hospital for Children on a Sunday afternoon in August, nearly nine years ago.

“Her new heart is beating.”

For Noblesville residents Kevin and Trinity Ginther, those five words ended years of uncertainty – and began a new chapter for their daughter, Hannah.

“At that moment, that’s pure excitement,” Trinity recalled. “Yes, you’re still scared. You don’t know what the journey is going to be like from there, but we haven’t known what the journey was going to be like the entire way.”

Now 12 years old, Hannah is a volleyball- and basketball-playing, makeup-loving preteen with a bright smile and a big personality. But for the first three-and-a-half years of her life, she lived with what her parents describe as “half a heart.”

Hannah was born with Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), a rare and complex congenital heart defect in which the left side of the heart is severely underdeveloped. Children born with HLHS require multiple surgeries in infancy and early childhood to survive. By age 3, Hannah had already undergone three major heart surgeries. Compounding her challenges, she also experienced lung failure and now functions with one lung.

“It was the biggest span of emotions I have ever felt at once for so many reasons when we found out she was getting a new heart,” Kevin said. “It was a magical night.”

A Long Road to Recovery + Life Today

Following her transplant, Hannah spent three months at the Riley Heart Center adjusting to life with her new heart. She required ECMO support – a machine that temporarily takes over heart and lung function – as doctors managed high pulmonary pressure and closely monitored her recovery.

Over the next year and a half, Hannah returned to Riley three more times before finally turning a corner around age 5.

Throughout every setback and milestone, the pediatric transplant team remained by the family’s side.

Transplant coordinator Maegan Boehm helped guide the Ginthers through the complex and often overwhelming transplant process – from waiting list logistics to post-operative care and follow-up.

“Love her,” Hannah said with a grin. “Ms. Maegan is pretty special to me. She’s always there for me.”

This year, after being nominated by Boehm, Hannah is honored as a Riley Champion, where she shares her story and spirit with the community to generate awareness about the Riley Children’s Foundation and hospital, and to help fundraise to provide lifesaving care.

Today, Hannah’s routine includes regular checkups every few months with Riley pediatric cardiologist Robert K. Darragh, MD, a physician Trinity describes in one word: “unbelievable.”

Outside the hospital walls, Hannah has embraced a full and active life. She plays sports, cheers on her sisters at their games and enjoys experimenting with makeup. The teddy bears she and her sisters received during hospital stays are kept in a special place at home – reminders of how far she has come.

The Ginther family also gives back to the place that cared for Hannah, donating Play-Doh to the Riley Cheer Guild – one of Hannah’s favorite activities during long hospital days.

Hannah’s journey is especially meaningful during American Heart Month in February – a time dedicated to raising awareness about heart disease and congenital heart defects, which remain among the most common birth defects in the United States.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 1 in 100 babies is born with a congenital heart defect. For children with severe conditions like HLHS, survival depends on advanced surgical care, lifelong monitoring and, in some cases, organ transplantation.

American Heart Month also highlights the critical importance of organ donation. For pediatric patients awaiting heart transplants, every donor represents the possibility of a second chance at life – and for families like the Ginthers, a moment when the phone finally rings with life-changing news.

While heart disease awareness often focuses on adult health, Hannah’s story underscores another side of the fight: the specialized pediatric teams, innovative medical technology and generous donors who make survival possible for the smallest patients.