PEMBROKE PINES, FLA. (WSVN) - Twins born with a rare condition continue to fight with heart.
Asher and Xander Reyes were born prematurely at 32 weeks in December of 2022. They spent more than a month in intensive care at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital.
The twins were born with the rare heart defect called congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (CCTGA). While CCTGA itself is rare, what makes this even rarer is that both twins have the condition but different versions of it.
More than a year later, the twins continue to receive lifesaving care. Their mother, Jeannette Barrero, praised the medical staff who care for her sons.
“We have, like, the best cardiac team ever. We’ve never had any trouble, so they make it easier. They make it easy on us,” she said, “and, honestly, they act pretty normal, so honestly, we forget a lot of times about their cardiac issues. It doesn’t affect their everyday lives.”
Dr. Katelyn Snyder, board-certified pediatric cardiologist at Pediatrix Cardiology of South Florida, monitored the babies via fetal echo-cardiogram from 20 weeks throughout the remainder of Barrero’s pregnancy after she learned of the condition during her 20-week anatomy scan.
While the twins will need more surgeries in the future, doctors believe they will eventually be able to live normal, healthy lives.
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