At their 20-week ultrasound, Michael and Becca Schostak discovered that their third child had a congenital heart defect and would be born with essentially half a heart. After hearing the distressing news, they spent the remainder of their pregnancy scared, facing a lot of unknowns in preparation for the medical and surgical treatments their son would require.
Reuben Phoenix Schostak was born on March 12, 2014, at the University of Michigan Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital and was quickly transferred to the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. From that moment on, the Schostaks’ biggest concern became Reuben’s future. They did not want baby gifts; they wanted family and friends to be able to support their son and other children with congenital heart disease.
As Reuben was undergoing his first surgery, Michael and Becca decided to create the Reuben Phoenix Schostak Congenital Heart Center Research Fund at Mott.
Today, Reuben has finished his three-stage surgical repair of his hypoplastic left heart syndrome, and his doctors at Mott are watching him for future interventions.