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Chicago sisters overcome rare heart condition with two transplants seven years apart

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Published  December 17, 2024 5:50pm CST
Health
FOX 32 Chicago

Chicago sisters overcome rare heart condition with transplants years apart

This Christmas, two Chicago sisters will celebrate with grateful hearts, bonded not only by family ties but by a shared genetic condition and the life-saving gift of heart transplants.

The Brief

    • Two Chicago sisters, Meredith Everheart and Abbey Cannon, both received life-saving heart transplants for the same genetic condition, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a rare occurrence among siblings.
    • Abbey underwent her transplant at age 38 in 2017 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and seven years later, Meredith required the same procedure at the same age in January 2024.
    • The sisters credit Northwestern’s Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute and their mutual support for helping them navigate the challenges of HCM, strengthening their bond even further.

CHICAGO - This Christmas, two Chicago sisters will celebrate with grateful hearts, bonded not only by family ties but by a shared genetic condition and the life-saving gift of heart transplants.

Meredith Everheart is preparing to celebrate her first Christmas with a new heart after undergoing a transplant earlier this year. Her sister, Abbey Cannon, walked a similar path, receiving a heart transplant for the same condition seven years ago.

Abbey was the first to be diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a genetic form of heart disease that causes the heart muscle to thicken, making it harder to pump blood and potentially leading to heart failure. Because it is genetic, the condition can run in families.

Abbey received her transplant at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in 2017 at the age of 38. Just months later, her sister Meredith was also diagnosed with HCM. Meredith's condition became severe enough that she too required a transplant. 

In January 2024, at the age of 38, she underwent the procedure at Northwestern as well.

Doctors say it is rare for siblings to require transplants due to HCM. Only about 5% of individuals with the condition ever need one, making the sisters’ story even more extraordinary.

Despite their shared diagnosis, Abbey and Meredith had different experiences managing the disease. Both described HCM as devastating but expressed deep gratitude for the care they received at Northwestern’s Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute and for each other’s support.

The sisters, who have always been close, say their shared journey through heart disease and transplants has strengthened their bond even further. 

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