Demi's Story
On August 4th, 2007, Demi Banousis, alongside her twin sister, Lia, were born. Returning home with our baby girls, a sense of excitement and anxiousness flooded the house as we embarked on this new chapter of our lives. At 6 weeks old, the twins had their first regular newborn pediatrician check-up. This was when we were told that the doctor had discovered a murmur in Demi's heart. Reassuring us that heart murmurs were common amongst newborns and often resolved themselves, the doctor was not concerned. However, as any parent worries for the health of their child, the pediatrician provided us with a referral to have Demi seen at the Montreal Children's Hospital Cardiology Department, in an attempt to calm our nerves.
On September 19th, 2007, we entered the Montreal Children's Hospital, not knowing that our lives would never be the same. At six weeks old, Demi was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot, a birth defect that affects normal blood flow through the heart. Dr. Dancea, the cardiologist doctor assigned to Demi, ran extensive tests to determine the severity of her condition, and after several hours, we entered a room to receive Demi's results. The moment we entered the room, we knew something was seriously wrong. Filled with many doctors, we sat down and were told that Demi would need emergency open-heart surgery. Minutes later, confused and terrified by this news, we had to put our precious child into the hands of the specialists, Dr. Dancea (Cardiologist) and Dr. Tchervenkov (surgeon). The next morning, Demi was scheduled to undergo open-heart surgery. The reality was devastating, and in a matter of moments we went from the joys of welcoming newborn twins to the unknown of what the future held.
On September 20th, 2007, at 9:00am, Demi began the fight for her life. After over 12 hours of surgery, Demi went into cardiac arrest. The doctors couldn't close her chest as there was too much swelling around her heart. We were told she would be transferred to the ICU with her chest open. She remained for 10 days with her chest opened until the swelling went down, and she was strong enough to undergo another surgery. Those 10 days were filled with fear and terror that at any moment Demi might not make it. Seeing her lifeless body intubated and machines helping her through the fight of her life is every parent's worst nightmare. Finally, Dr. Tchervenkov, her cardiac surgeon, was able to close her chest. We were told it would be a slow recovery and to take it one day at a time. This period of recovery contained many ups and downs, but as each day passed, we witnessed her getting stronger and better. We spent almost 2 months at the Montreal Children's Hospital, sitting in the ICU by Demi's hospital bed. Finally, on November 9th, 2007, the day had arrived that Demi was given the okay to return home and be reunited with her twin. We could not have survived this nightmare without the constant support, knowledge and reassurance of the nurses and doctors. Even after departing the hospital, we never felt alone.
Eighteen years later, Demi has undergone a few minor surgeries and has had many visits to the Montreal Children's Hospital. At first, it was every month, then every 6 months and now once a year for her annual check-up. She will need to undergo another open-heart surgery as part of the ongoing corrections she requires due to her heart condition. Although we certainly don?t want to go through another surgery, there is a sense of reassurance and comfort knowing she will be in great hands at the Montreal Children's Hospital.
We wanted to bring attention to the heroes that helped save her life by telling her story and started a fund in Demi's name; the '' Follow Your Heart, The Demi Banousis Fund ''. The mission of this fund is to support the Cardiology Department at the Montreal Children's Hospital, a simple gesture to thank the doctors and nurses for saving Demi's life. By donating to the Follow Your Heart Fund, you are helping us in achieving our overall mission and dedication to saving the lives of infants and children with cardiac issues. Together, we can make a lasting difference for little hearts, giving children like Demi the chance to dream, grow, and follow their heart.