11-year-old boy gets a new heart at University of Iowa Children's Hospital

THE GAZETTE | Michaela Ramm

Operation comes 15 years after his mother's transplant surgery at UI

Brandon Kommer, Kameron Brown and Nikole (Carey) Kommer pose for photos in the Donor Garden outside of Carver Pavillion at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics on Saturday, Sept. 10 2016. The Kommers were married in the Meditation Room in Carver Pavillion so that Nikole’s son, who has dilated cardiomyopathy and is on the donor list awaiting a new heart, could be present at the wedding. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette

IOWA CITY — Kameron Brown finally got his heart.

After nearly 18 months on a waiting list, doctors at the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital performed heart transplant surgery Wednesday on Kameron, an 11-year-old patient from Orion, Illinois, who served as the ring bearer last week during his mother’s wedding, held in the chapel at the hospital.

The Gazette was there to witness the marriage ceremony of Nikole and Brandon Kommer, who said they had planned a traditional wedding in the future, but decided to wed at the hospital on Saturday at the urging of Kameron.

During Saturday’s festivities, Dr. Erik Edens, director of pediatric heart transplant at the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, said Kameron was “high” on the waiting list and could receive a heart any day.

Any day came Wednesday. Continue reading

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