Super Samuel Returns
A boy who has thrived since undergoing open heart surgery as a baby is continuing his and his family’s quest to aid children’s heart research.
“Super Samuel” Guinn, 5, just started his kindergarten year at Hathaway High School and will soon start Little Dribblers.
“He’s doing so good,” his mother Jennifer said. “I just got his pacemaker shirt that he can wear while he plays basketball.”
The shirt provides impact protection to athletic individuals who live with pacemakers.
“He’s also taking less meds than he had to last year and we’re only having to go for checkups every six months,” she added.
Jennifer said when her son was first born and experiencing a number of medical issues, she always believed he would be OK.
“It’s still weird to be at this point,” she said. “I’m not counting his respiratory rate all the time or watching his lips to see if they are turning blue. I still look out for these things but life is more normal now.”
“Our family knows just how important congenital heart research is for so many kids. Newer research is still helping Samuel.”
– Jennifer Guinn
Samuel was born with a complex congenital heart condition in 2014. He was diagnosed with several issues, including dextro-transposition of the great arteries, a birth defect of the heart in which the two main arteries carrying blood out of the heart are switched in position; double outlet right ventricle, which occurs when both major arteries are connected to the right ventricle; large ventricular septal defect (VSD), a defect in the wall that divides the left and right ventricles of the heart; pulmonary stenosis, a thickened or fused heart valve that does not fully open; a narrow left ventricle; a hypertrophic ventricle, which occurs when the walls of a lower chamber of the heart thicken; an a rare malformation usually associated with VSD, straddling mitral valve.
Samuel underwent an open heart procedure at Boston Children’s Hospital when he was 11 months old. While his medical journey continues, he continues to thrive.
With the help of the public, the Guinns have raised nearly $7,000 to benefit Boston Children’s Heart Research Foundation.
“Every penny raised goes to that foundation,” Jennifer said. “Our family knows just how important congenital heart research is for so many kids. Newer research is still helping Samuel.”
The fifth annual Super Samuel’s Lemonade Stand will be held from 12:30-4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25, at 515 13th Street in Jennings. There the public can purchase lemonade and sweets and handmade bracelets and bath bombs made by Samuel’s big sister McKenzie. All proceeds will to go Boston Children’s Hospital.
“People show so much support every year and we’re so thankful for that,” Jennifer said of the fundraiser. “We hope to see even more people this year.”
Those who wish to donate but are unable to make it to the lemonade stand can make online contributions. Donors can visit the Samuel Jude #supersamuel page on Facebook that contains a link to the family’s official Boston Hospital fundraising page. Those donating via check should make them payable to Boston Children’s Hospital for tax-related purposes, with “Super Sam’s Lemonade Stand” written on the memo line.