In 1998, on her 16th birthday, Emily was having a manicure and passed out for a few minutes. She was admitted to the hospital where she was diagnosed with Wolf Parkinson White Syndrome (enlargement of the heart walls). She was given medications to treat the problem. As years went by her health declined. She was not able to attend school but was home schooled and received her high school degree.

In 2000, Emily was diagnosed with hyper tropic cardiomyopathy (a disease that enlarges and weakens the heart muscle), ventricular tachycardia (the heart beats too fast) and atrailfibulation (irregular contractions). Emily had an aicd which is like a difibulator implanted in 2003. In 2005, Emily had an echo cardiogram which determined only 10% of her heart was working and that she was a candidate for a heart transplant.

Emily’s grandmother encouraged her to keep fighting to win the battle of her life. On November 20, 2006, Emily received the call a heart was available and received her life saving transplant. She is doing very well but the cost of the transplant was expensive. The cost of her survival is even more costly. Post transplant medications alone are $2,000 a month which she must take the rest of her life.

To help ease this financial burden, a fundraising campaign in Emily’s honor has been established with HelpHOPELive. HelpHOPELive is a nonprofit organization that has been assisting the transplant community for nearly 30 years. All contributions are tax-deductible and are administered by HelpHOPELive for transplant-related expenses only. Won’t you please help Emily?

Make checks payable to:
HelpHOPELive

Write in memo section:
In Honor of Emily Castillo

Please send to:
HelpHOPELive
Two Radnor Corporate Center
100 Matsonford Road, Suite 100
Radnor, PA 19087

To make a credit card contribution, please call 800-642-8399 or click “Donate Now” above.

Thank you very much for your consideration in helping Emily with her medication expenses. If you have any questions please call me at 786-349-8121 or HelpHOPELive at 800-642-8399. On behalf of Emily and our family we thank you for your generosity, support and donations.

With warm regards,

Hilda Soto (Emily’s mother)
786-348-8121