Trevor Hunter is a 13-year-old boy who plays football, basketball, baseball, and runs track. Trevor is the youngest of three children to David and Kathy Hunter. David Hunter has worked for Medtronic for more than 20 years and has previously served on the HeartBeats Gala Planning Committee. David and Kathy have both attended the Living for Zachary HeartBeats Gala for many years now and have been involved with Living for Zachary since the beginning. They knew from the start they would get their children screened once they were all within the age limit necessary to receive a Living for Zachary Heart Screening.
On January 28, 2017, Kathy decided to have her three kids attend the free Living for Zachary Heart Screening event at The Heart Hospital Baylor Denton. Trevor was 12-years-old at the time and had just met the age requirement to be screened. He had a previous engagement with friends at Top Golf and his response to the screening was “Why do I even have to go to this? This is for high school kids and not for me.”
After Trevor’s heart screening, Kathy received a call from Steven Mottl, DO with Denton Heart Group, saying that Trevor needed further testing with a pediatric cardiologist and to avoid all athletic activity. Trevor never showed any signs or symptoms and was always cleared to participate in sports. From this point, Kathy scheduled an appointment and followed up with Dr. Penn Laird, with Pediatric Heart Specialists in Dallas, for further testing. It was recommended that Trevor get a complete transthoracic echocardiogram. Dr. Laird ran more tests and Trevor was diagnosed with having Persistent Left Superior Vena Cava (only 0.3% of the population has this).
(This is a picture of Trevor’s unique heart.)
Although Trevor’s diagnosis doesn’t affect him right now, this diagnosis will help in the future if Trevor were to ever need an intervention. His uniquely structured heart is working the way it should be with all of the blood flowing through the heart the way it is expected.
Since Trevor’s diagnosis, he has not missed a beat. He played select baseball all summer and has Crownover Football workouts in preparation for football season. Kathy, Trevor’s mom says, “I believe every parent that has the opportunity to have their child screened by Living for Zachary should do so especially one who has a child that plays sports.” She says, “ You always think ‘This can never happen to me or to my kids’, but it can happen. It happened to the child of someone who has worked for Medtronic in the heart business for 20+ years and to a nurse’s child…mine.”
“I am very grateful for this organization.” -Kathy Hunter
Trevor and his family would like to personally thank the following people for their help and support: The Heart Hospital Baylor Denton, Dr. Steven Mottl, Willis Hassell, Dr. Bruce Bowers, and the Medtronic Dallas Cardiovascular team.
