“I wasn’t able to carry my own children, walk upstairs or carry a bag,” recounts 35-year-old Edgar Pacheco, who was born with a congenital heart defect and has had numerous open-heart surgeries. “I had a leaky valve in my heart, and it was getting worse and worse. I had the procedure done two months ago and I feel a big difference. I feel 15 years younger. The procedure took six hours, but they didn’t have to open me up. They went in through the femoral artery. I’m the first young person to have the procedure done. I didn’t know if it would be possible with how complicated my heart is but my doctors saved my life. No matter where I’m at or where I’m living, I will always come to UCLA Health.”
