Ohio Hospital Rejects Heart Transplant for 12-Year-Old Relative of Vance, According to Family
The parents of Adaline Deal report that Cincinnati Children’s Hospital mandates the COVID-19 vaccine for transplant recipients, a requirement they reject on religious grounds.
Jeneen Deal shared that her 12-year-old daughter is being denied a critical heart transplant at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital because she has not received the flu and COVID-19 vaccines.
According to Deal, her daughter Adaline is in urgent need of surgery, but the hospital will not add her to the transplant list since she has not received either vaccination due to the family’s religious beliefs.
Deal further stated that the hospital also refuses to transfer Adaline to other suitable facilities that could perform the procedure, and her insurance plan mandates a release for such a transfer. The family has state health insurance, which limits the hospitals that can conduct the transplant procedure.
“We’re just buying time here. I’m just hoping we have time,” Deal explained to The Epoch Times.
Deal is the mother-in-law of Chelsea Deal, the sister of Vice President JD Vance.
Jeneen Deal and her husband, Brayton, are parents to seven children, three of whom they adopted. They brought Adaline from China when she was 4 years old, fully aware of their daughter’s severe heart condition.
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Cincinnati Children’s Hospital has not responded to multiple requests from The Epoch Times for comments, including inquiries about its policy on flu and COVID-19 vaccines for patients.
“We customize care plans for each patient in collaboration with their family to ensure the safest and most effective treatment.”
The hospital also did not clarify whether it has withheld Adaline from the transplant waiting list.
The heart transplant program at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital has approval from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS).
A representative from the United Network for Organ Sharing informed The Epoch Times that transplant facilities establish their own criteria for assessing candidates, which they utilize to determine who is placed on the transplant list.
“Ultimately, OPTN does not provide direction on medical decision-making; rather, transplant hospitals comprehensively review the patient and evaluate them based on their established criteria,” the spokesperson explained, alluding to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.
“Different transplant hospitals may have varying listing standards and reach diverse listing decisions.”
The Epoch Times additionally reached out to the Ohio Solid Organ Transplantation Consortium for a comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
‘A Year of Fighting’
Deal mentioned that it took several months for the hospital to diagnose her daughter with two heart-related conditions: Ebstein anomaly and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.
“It took a year of battling with them, but they wouldn’t proceed with the procedure. They kept insisting [Adaline] was fine. But her heart was not fine,” Deal stated.
The Deal family consists of four biological children, three adoptive children, and parents Jeneen and Brayton Deal.Courtesy of the Deal family
Deal mentioned that the family reached out to Boston Children’s Hospital and discovered they could perform the heart transplant within a week if Cincinnati hospital completed the necessary release.
Faced with this dilemma, Deal took to social media to share her concerns and frustrations.
“You can’t even be considered for the list unless you get the shots. You receive the shots, or you don’t receive a heart,” Stock told The Epoch Times.
“Children are bearing the consequences.”
Stock added that the organization is “doing everything possible to keep all options available to assist them.”
The NIH states that the average survival rate for heart transplant recipients is 15 years.
‘Small Window’ of Opportunity
Stock accused the hospital of engaging in religious discrimination against the Deal family.
She characterized Adaline’s condition as “touch-and-go.”
Adaline Deal (R) is seen with Chelsea Deal, sister of Vice President JD Vance.Courtesy of the Deal family
“It’s her heart. She could suddenly develop fluid around her heart. She has to be placed on the list within the next three weeks. We have a small window,” Stock warned.
This legislative proposal aims to prevent hospitals, clinics, health care providers, and insurance companies from denying services or employment based on an individual’s decision to refuse an mRNA injection or any form of “gene-editing” technology.
“Our voter base made their preferences clear during the last election. Medical freedom holds significant importance for Ohioans and the broader nation,” Gross emphasized to The Epoch Times via email.
“I urge my colleagues to join me in co-sponsoring [this legislation] so we can eliminate vaccine status discrimination in Ohio and set a precedent for the entire nation.”
Stock mentioned that there’s a concern Adaline may not have adequate time for the bill to be passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor.
Since her adoption, Adaline has been “like a ray of sunshine,” Deal expressed.
“She is eager to return to school. She enjoys being around people and brings joy to others with her cheerful demeanor.
“Last night, she experienced severe headaches. I was genuinely worried,” Deal remarked.
“I refuse to let her die,” she asserted.
