# @ucsfchildrens on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DRTsIGsjLUm
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/37670148-ucsfchildrens-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/2bf56ccd83.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-11-21T05:59:37.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** UCSF Benioff Children’s (@ucsfchildrens) — https://gondola.cc/ucsfchildrens

## Caption

Please send your best wishes to Ava! She’s been at our #SanFrancisco hospital for nearly a year waiting for a #hearttransplant, after having four open-heart surgeries in the past nine years.
Ava was born with a combination of serious congenital heart defects called #HLHS and #heterotaxy, and she has been waiting for a new heart since July 2024.
During her hospital stays, Ava (teamavaheartwarrior) and her dad, Harold, began building dioramas and creating art together, which eventually inspired them to write a book called “We the Pupils” this summer. The story is a playful western, featuring characters Ava and Harold imagined during her many months of hospitalization. The book was such a success that Ava hosted a book signing at our hospital!
Ava recently celebrated her 9th birthday in the hospital and released a new book, “Cockroach Joe Loves to Go,” about a skateboarding cockroach and his adventures! 
#chdwarrior #chdawareness

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 453
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 3

## Tags

heterotaxy, hearttransplant, sanfrancisco, hlhs, chdawareness, chdwarrior

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