Oklahoma girl first to undergo first-of-its-kind heart surgery

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — A metro girl is the first to have a groundbreaking heart surgery.

That girl's story started way before this surgery though. News 4 first introduced you to Marlee back in 2017.

Marlee was abandoned at the hospital and was born with a life-threatening heart condition.

Jolene Baxter was asked to love on Marlee until she passed away, but there was a chance for her to live with surgery.

“All I keep hearing is ‘This baby needs a surgery,'” Baxter said. “I never heard one time ‘She didn’t have a chance.," said Baxter.

Marlee couldn't get the surgery unless her biological mother signed for it, thankfully the signature came right before Marlee was to go into comfort care.

But, the biological mom left again. This time for good and Baxter was able to adopt Marlee.

"I was literally in a fight for her life, it changed the dynamics of everything. I mean, like, I couldn't let her go, I had to be there to see her through," said Baxter.

Over the years, Marlee underwent multiple heart surgeruies. But recenrly, she made medical history.

Thanks to a groundbreaking procedure, Marlee was the first child to have her Fontan taken down.

"She'll have a complete heart, so that will be a complete different life for her than the single ventricle route, so we're really excited about that," said Baxter.

Baxter says Marlee's story shows there are other options for patients.

"As far as for patients that have Ebstein's anomaly, that there is a second choice now, you can get help even if you're in your 20's,30's, you don't have to be a child," said Baxter.

Today, Marlee is thriving and is feeling better than ever.

"The right side of her heart, that's never worked since she's been born, had grown 50 percent," said Baxter.

She attends school, dances and lives life just like any other third grader all because of medical advances and a mother who never gave up.

"It's one of those things that you know you have to advocate because if you don't advocate for these kids, they don't get what they deserve and they all deserve a good loving home and a parent that's going to advocate for them to the ends of earth," said Baxter.

Marlee's procedure was recently published in a medical journal, click here to read it.