Avery Mitchell was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on July 2, 2018. Once Avery was born, the staff let her mother have only 5-10 minutes with her before quickly transferring her to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Avery received her first open heart surgery at 10 days old, second at 3 months old, and third at 3 years old. Doctors diagnosed Avery with tricuspid atresia with dextro-transposition of great arteries (d-TGA), ventricular septal defect (VSD) with intracardiac shunting, and a hypoplastic right ventricle. 

At two years old, Avery underwent genetic screening in which doctors diagnosed her with 7q11.23 duplication (referred to as Dup7). This condition can cause a variety of neurological and behavioral problems as well as other abnormalities. Avery’s mother supports her learning needs through homeschooling, helping her develop and thrive.

“Although she has been through a very rough start, she was thriving and is doing quite well today thanks to her doctors and team at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and her amazing mom, who goes above and beyond for her!” says Avery’s grandmother. Avery also enjoys watching TV, coloring, riding her bike (which she learned this past summer), and playing with dolls.