Health watch: Saving hearts from birth

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Camden Thuringe knows his mom and dad will always be there.

He's been a regular of pediatric cardiologist Abhay Divekar since he was just hours old.

"He was born, and he was really blue," says Jenny Thuringe, Camden's mother.

"The right lower chamber of the heart going to the lungs was completely blocked," says Dr. Abhay Divekar.

Dr. Divekar used radiofrequency energy to create a pathway, saving Camden's life. The Thuringe's followed Dr. Divekar from hospital to hospital to make sure Camden was under his care.

"I'd rather stay with one doctor where he knows everything inside of his heart," Jenny said.

Meanwhile, it took Veronica Dean 40 years to find the right doctor.

"I had surgery at five months old," Dean said.

Born missing a ventricle, Veronica was told sports was off-limits.

"I've always had the mentality of, 'I'm limited.'" Dean said.

Dean saw doctors without a history of treating teens or adults with CHD.

"Adult cardiologists are good in cardiology, but that spectrum of heart disease is very different," Dr. Divekar said.

Dr. Divekar was one of the first in the country to be certified as a pediatric and adult congenital heart disease cardiologist.

"He gave me a new outlook at life," Dean said.

Camden will need his heart valve replaced someday so he can continue doing what he loves.

"He's still perfect to us, but he just has a broken heart," Jenny said.

But don't tell him that! Camden is full of heart!