West Haven Teen, 16, In Need Of Heart Transplant

WEST HAVEN, CT — The community is rallying around the family of a 16-year-old girl in need of a heart transplant.

A GoFundMe page, titled “Help Julianna Get a New Heart,” has been launched to help the family with medical expenses.

Juliana was diagnosed with Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy when she was 3 years old after telling her mother that her heart was “beeping funny,” according to the GoFundMe page. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a disease in which the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick (hypertrophied). The thickened heart muscle can make it harder for the heart to pump blood.

“Julianna was monitored closely from that point on and was eventually put on medication, which she takes daily,” reads a post on the GoFundMe, which was created by Maria Bruin Martone. “She was never able to take gym or do any sports. She would get out of breath just climbing the stairs.”

Julianna’s condition worsened as she got older, and she was sent to Boston's Children's Hospital for further treatment, according to the GoFundMe.

“She has had numerous hospital stays, for tests and to monitor her condition,” the post reads. “In late 2020, they were told that Julianna would need a heart transplant. The sooner, the better. She is in the process of being put on a transplant list.

“Julianna's parents, Pam and Dave Osterberg have missed many days of work, most unpaid. Pam has spent weeks in the hospital with Julianna, while Dave has had to take days off to stay with their younger daughter, Olivia.

“They have a long road ahead of them and many more days of unpaid family leave. Although they do have insurance, we do not know how much will be covered.”

Any donation will go toward “giving Julianna a better life and helping her parents with this tremendous financial burden,” according to the GoFundMe.

The GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $2,100 as of Friday afternoon.

For more information, or to make a donation, visit the GoFundMe page here.

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