Girl, 4, needs heart transplant

Editor's note: Joseph Jones is a Register correspondent representing vermiliondaily.com. VERMILION — Brinley Wyczalek, 4, has been a patient at Cleveland Clinic Children's since around Halloween, facing a medical journey no child or family should have to endure. Her parents — mother, Berlyn; and father, Travis — said there is no anticipated discharge date as their daughter continues treatment in the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit while awaiting a heart transplant. Diagnosis after diagnosis Brinley was born a healthy 5-pound baby with no signs of heart disease. At 2 years old, after developing croup — it's an infection of the upper airway, which becomes narrow, making it harder to breathe — Berlyn advocated for a chest X-ray, a decision ultimately saving her daughter's life. The scan revealed cardiomegaly, or an enlarged heart, leading to further testing. Doctors later diagnosed Brinley with dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Dilated cardiomyopathy refers to the heart becoming enlarged, stretched and weakened. This contributed to heart failure, which means the heart muscle is too weak or stiff to pump enough blood and oxygen to meet the body's needs. Without that imaging, however, her parents were told she could have gone into cardiac arrest at any time without anyone knowing her heart was sick. Further testing revealed Brinley had previously developed myocarditis, likely caused by a viral infection such as COVID or RSV. Myocarditis refers to inflammation of the heart muscle that weakens its ability to pump blood. The virus attacked her heart muscle, eventually leading to heart failure. Genetic testing also showed Brinley carries a certain gene, known as PKP2, associated with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, a condition that affects heart rhythm. Both of her parents were found to be carriers of the gene and will require lifelong cardiac monitoring. Following her diagnosis, Brinley responded well to oral heart failure medications and was able to return home for nearly a year and a half. During that time, she lived a full childhood: attending birthday parties, dancing, swimming and even visiting Cedar Point with friends. Her parents said you would never have known how sick her heart truly was. As Brinley's condition progressed, doctors determined it was no longer safe for her to remain at home without advanced support. She was admitted back into the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit, placed on intensive medications and, eventually, listed for a heart transplant after her heart stopped responding to treatment. Want to help? Brinley is now supported by a Berlin Heart ventricular assist device while she waits for a donor heart. Her family remains by her side around the clock, rotating shifts to ensure she is never alone. A family friend, Jenna Bansek, recently started an online fundraiser to help cover related expenses. People can find the fundraiser by visiting gofundme.com and searching for "Support Brinleys Beating Heart Transplant Journey." "The Wyczalek family would never ask for donations, but the support you all have given them during this hard time is very humbling, and they feel very blessed," Bansek said. "While we feel we don't understand why this is happening to Brinley, we still believe God is good all the time and can mend broken hearts." Finding the silver lining Despite the uncertainty and emotional toll, Brinley's parents said the outpouring of community support has meant everything to them. Through sharing Brinley's story, her parents hope to raise awareness about pediatric cardiomyopathy, a condition that often goes undiagnosed in children until it becomes life-threatening. They urge parents to advocate for their children and to ask doctors about heart imaging when something feels off. For now, the community continues to pray for Brinley and for the donor family whose decision will one day give her the chance at a healthy future.