When Heidi Regan collapsed during her Pocono Mountain East High School cross-country practice last year, she never imagined it would be the beginning of months of unanswered questions.
"I was just running, and the next thing I knew, I was on the ground," says Heidi who has since turned 17.
A few weeks later, Heidi fainted again during a cross-country meet and was taken by cart to the athletic trainer. A subsequent trip to the ER found nothing unusual, and initial testing, including an EKG, appeared normal. But she knew something just “wasn't right.”
Talking with her primary care pediatrician, Jennifer Janco, MD, Chair of Pediatrics at St. Luke's Children’s Hospital, reassured Heidi attention would be paid. "Dr. Janco really listened to me," Heidi says. "She believed there was more going on when everyone else thought everything was fine. She kept me calm and reassured me I wasn't going crazy."
Dr. Janco referred Heidi to her colleague, Darren M. Traub, DO, a cardiologist who specializes in heart rhythms at St. Luke's.
“As a pediatrician, I feel it’s really important to connect with my teenage patients, giving them a space where they can express themselves and really talk to me," Dr. Janco said. “I want them to know they are seen, they are heard, and I’m going to advocate for them.”
Before Heidi's first cardiology appointment, Dr. Traub ordered an echocardiogram and a two-week Zio Patch, a wearable heart monitor that records heart rhythms over an extended period. Unlike an EKG, which captures only a brief snapshot, the monitor records every heartbeat for up to 14 days. In doing so, it detected the cause of Heidi's symptoms: supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), an abnormal heart rhythm that can come and go without warning.
On Dr. Traub’s recommendation, Heidi underwent a successful cardiac ablation at St. Luke's. Heidi also received an implantable loop recorder to continue monitoring her heart rhythm.
"The whole team treated me like I was one of their own," Heidi says. "Dr. Traub didn't just focus on my heart. He asked about prom, sports and how I was doing. That personal touch meant so much."
Just one week after her procedure, Heidi was cleared to return to the athletic field. On her first day back, the Pocono Mountain East varsity track and field athlete competed and succeeded in her events, including discus, jumping and running.
“I credit Dr. Janco for recognizing that Heidi might have a heart issue and sending her my way for further evaluation,” Dr. Traub said. “Working together as a team, we diagnosed Heidi’s abnormal heart rhythm, which was the critical first step on the path toward treatment and recovery.
“I also credit Heidi. She had a great attitude that enabled her to get through and bounce back from the kind of serious health issue that not many people her age experience.”
Today, Heidi is back to living life without fear of fainting episodes. Her experience has strengthened her desire to pursue a career in nursing. "Everything I went through made me want to help other people," Heidi says. "It pushed me even more toward becoming a nurse."
For Heidi and her family, the outcome is a testament to the importance of compassionate physicians who listen, collaborate and never give up searching for answers. "We're so grateful to Dr. Janco and Dr. Traub," Heidi says. "They worked together, they listened, and they gave me my life back."
