Cora’s Team

Ride for Breakthroughs for Little Hearts!

We are raising money to support innovative cardiac research for kids at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).  Every dollar that Cora’s Team raises goes directly to the Topolewski Pediatric Heart Valve Center, a research fund established by CHOP with the dedicated purpose of developing new and better ways to treat children with cardiac valve disorders like Cora’s.

With your help, we can better understand the causes of pediatric heart disease, develop new treatments, improve long-term outcomes and offer new hope to families who need it most.

Join the movement!

Why I Ride

• When Cora was born, her heart had several congenital defects: an aortic arch that was too narrow, an aortic valve that was too small and unicuspid rather than tricuspid, and a VSD (a hole in her heart wall).  When she was four days old, she underwent open heart surgery at CHOP to correct her aortic arch and VSD. Her cardiac team decided to wait to correct her aortic valve until she was bigger and stronger. We were told at that time that her valve would eventually need to be replaced in its own, complicated open heart procedure. We were also told that the replacement valve would only last several years, and would need to be replaced again and again throughout her life in a series of open heart procedures. With the creation of the Topolewski Pediatric Heart Valve Center, CHOP's researchers are exploring new ways to treat valve disorders like Cora's, such as through valve repair rather than replacement, or through a less invasive catheter procedure rather than open heart surgery. Today, Cora is 4 years old, in preK, and enjoys life as a regular kid taking gymnastics and swim lessons as her cardiac team continues to monitor her progress and valve function.
• Together, we’ll create a breakthrough for every child: "The Philly-Spin-In not only inspires the Cardiac Center team to continue our pursuit of clinical excellence, but the funding the event generates also allows us to push new boundaries of research and patient care initiatives that help define the future of pediatric heart care." – Dr. Jonathan Chen

How You Can Help

By donating and helping us support little hearts through groundbreaking and innovative research and care here at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

“From the bottom of all the hearts we touch, from the bottom of all the hearts we work on, from the bottom of our hearts. Thank you.”
 — Stephanie Fuller, MD, Cardiothoracic Surgeon