594. Post-Transplant, She Has a Heart for Service

Ava Kaufman, while trying to recuperate from a heart transplant, became acutely aware of the need for information and support for heart transplant patients and families. Knowing nothing about fundraising or foundations, she decided, "Sometimes you just have to jump in and do it your own way." A 67-year-old woman with a transplanted heart from a 17-year-old boy, she founded Ava's Heart Foundation and is helping hundreds of families through the transplant process with resources, case management and hope.