As the rest of the world was going through the pandemic, one local eight-year boy was living at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, waiting on a heart transplant.

Cayden was born with complex congenital heart disease. He had 3 open-heart surgeries before the age of 1 at Christ Advocate in Oak Lawn, IL. (At 3 days, 5 months, and 11 months.) He was born with double outlet right ventricle, pulmonary atresia, transverse of the greater vessels, and Wolff Parkinson white syndrome.

“The transplant was not brought to our attention at any of this time,” said Tiffany Hughes, the mother of Cayden, “We were advised maybe by the time he’s 30, so it was a complete surprise.”

At the end of December, the beginning of January, Tiffany, took her son, Cayden, to the ER because he wasn’t feeling well. They were told it was just a bug and he would soon recover. A week passed and he still wasn’t feeling his best. Tiffany took her son to the ER for a second time where he was diagnosed with Pneumonia and put on antibiotics but something just still didn’t sit right with her.”I called cardiology expressing my concern and they reassured me the puffy eyes were due to lack of sleep and fluid in his lungs,” said Tiffany. “Overall, his oxygen levels were good at home, he wasn’t in distress, not pulling or dusky.”

The next week, Corey, Cayden’s Step-Dad, took him for a follow-up appointment with their Primary Care Doctor. The doctor, after closely reviewing Cayden’s x-rays, called Tiffany saying they needed to see a cardiologist and that his liver was enlarged.

Cayden was admitted to Advocate Children’s Hospital with severe heart failure on January 16, 2020, and was transferred to Lurie Children’s Hospital on January 25, 2020, and hasn’t been home since. The fluid they saw in his lungs was actually fluid from his heart function failing, the gas they thought was in his belly, was actually fluid from his heart filling up his body and pushing his liver outward.

On February 18, twenty days after going through the heart transplant evaluation process, all boxes were checked and paperwork was signed. Cayden was officially listed in UNOS (United Network for Organ Sharing) database where he would wait 111 days until he received a new heart.

On May 7th, Cayden walked down to OR with his parents and his favorite superhero, Captain America, for what would be a 12-hour operation. His body did not reject the heart so on May 30th, he was released to the Ronald Mcdonald House where he finally got to take a breath of fresh air.

In the early evening of July 8th, Cayden’s family got the news that they have been waiting to hear, “Cayden can go home!”

This has been such a journey for this brave little boy, “God is so good! It’s absolutely crazy he received his heart days before Mother’s Day and he’s coming home today, parade Saturday,” said Tiffany, “I am in awe. God is beyond good!” His Dad, Anthony is excited to finally have him home and grateful for all the opportunities Cayden will have in the future.

Cayden’s family wants everyone to join them in a “Welcome Home parade,” as he hasn’t been home since early January. The parade will take place this Saturday, July 11th at 1 pm. Everyone will meet at Johnson Elementary School and drive past Cayden’s house to welcome him home!