Good Morning America: Teen Returns to Cheerleading After Receiving 2nd Chance at Life

Born with a severe congenital heart defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome, Fenton teen Macey Brown has been able to live a relatively normal life thanks to early care at St. Louis Children's Hospital and WashU Medicine Heart Center.

She was gifted a second chance at life with her first heart transplant at nine weeks old, but doctors warned of the possibility of another heart transplant needed before age 20.

17 years later, Macey began experiencing shortness of breath at camp that led to another life-altering diagnosis—her transplanted heart was failing, and this time her kidneys were too.

To save her life, the team at St. Louis Children's Hospital proposed a combined heart kidney transplant. Macey's transplant was the first pediatric surgery of its kind to be performed in Missouri.

Now, the high school senior is back courtside with her cheer team, and ready to share her story.

Good morning America spoke with Macey, her parents, and Dr. Lakshmi Gokanapudy Hahn, WashU Medicine pediatric cardiologist at St. Louis Children's Hospital, about the rare procedure that builds on the team's long-standing experience with combined heart lung and heart liver transplantation.

Watch the whole story here: Good Morning America: Teen Returns to Cheerleading After Receiving 2nd Chance at Life