West Chicago boy celebrates first anniversary after heart transplant

WEST CHICAGO – The Payton family of West Chicago recently celebrated what for most is one of life's simple gifts – the health of their 9-year-old son.

Owen Payton and his family marked the one-year anniversary of Owen receiving a heart transplant May 8. His mother, Christina Payton, called the celebration Owen's "heartiversary."

"We just wanted to have a relaxing and fun day for Owen to celebrate the fact that he made it through the first year, because they say the first year is the hardest," Christina said. "For us, it was a big deal, because a year ago, he was in the hospital and now we're at home with his family and friends. It was a day of appreciation for the small things, for him getting to do the things a 9-year-old should be doing."

Before Owen was born, his family learned he had multiple congenital heart defects and would need a series of three surgeries to correct them.Owen was born prematurely and underwent his first surgery at just six days old. His second surgery occured when he was eight months and the third when he was 3.

In 2010, almost a year after the third surgery, Owen was diagnosed with Protein-Losing Enteropathy, an extremely rare condition in which the body experiences a severe loss of proteins. Fifty percent of patients do not survive past the first five years after diagnosis.

In March of 2012, Owen's parents made the decision to place him on the heart transplant list at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago.

Christina said waiting two years for the phone to ring with the news of a heart for Owen was the most difficult thing she has ever had to go through, but when that news finally came, she was elated.

"When I heard Owen's doctor say they had a heart for Owen, I went through every emotion you could possibly have – excited, happy, scared, everything," she said. "I thought about how from this day forward, Owen's life will change. There's no going back now."

Owen received his new heart May 8, 2014, and said he was excited to celebrate the anniversary.

"I was happy that my friends were able to come and most of my family," he said. "I felt supported."

Owen's friends from Evergreen Elementary School in Carol Stream came to the party, which was complete with a bounce house and soccer goals set up outside. Christina said the support from the school and the families of Owen's friends was a tremendous help, and that the community raised funds to assist the Paytons before the surgery and chipped in for an Xbox for Owen's special day last month.

Additionally, the Payton family bought a tree for the celebration, and planted it in their backyard as a physical reminder of Owen's heart donor. They plan to reach out to the donor family in the near future.

Owen's health has improved since his transplant. He no longer has Protein-Losing Enteropathy symptoms, his energy levels have increased and his oxygen level is normal.

"We just live our life day-to-day, and we never take things for granted," Christina said. "The small things are the big things."

The Paytons plan to continue to celebrate the success of Owen's transplant by holding a heartiversary event every May 8.