Suzanne's Story - Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH)

My name is Suzanne Simone, and I am a Tiny Hero young adult! My life hasn't been easy as a CDH survivor, but I am a professional photographer, vocalist, dancer, and petite model, and I feel incredibly fortunate to be on this earth and to be able to share my gifts with the world!

Often when telling my story, I call myself a miracle baby because my parents were told that I was the only baby who had a Diaphragmatic Hernia to live the year that I was born! One thing that I think helped me to live was that my symptoms presented themselves when I was six weeks old, so I had a little more time for development than babies who are immediately placed on ECMO, which wasn't even an option for me.

When I had my surgery, I did die from a sensitivity overdose of Morphine and was brought back to life, as doctors told my parents that I may not live beyond my first year. My mom said that I was a fighter from the beginning, and no matter what I have faced in my life, I have always felt like I have a deeper purpose! So, for the first year of my life, my mom, who was also told not to let me cry, slept half sitting up, half-awake really, with me on her chest, which ultimately, I feel made our chemistry closer to this day!

When I look at present day CDH stories, I find myself in tears at the losses families still endure, and I know that every day I wake up, I'm blessed! There's so much more to my story, and I am absolutely happy to share (you can follow me/reach out to me on Instagram @suzsimone).