UPDATE: Girl Surprised By Drake At Lurie Children's Hospital Gets Heart Transplant
CHICAGO (CBS)-- Sofia Sanchez, an 11-year-old girl awaiting a heart transplant at Chicago's Lurie Children's Hospital, recently got a visit from her idol, Drake, after posting a video of her doing the #KiKiChallenge.
Drake surprised Sofia in her hospital room on August 18, but meeting her favorite celebrity wasn't even the best news of Sofia's month.
The little girl from Downers Grove learned Sunday that she would be getting her long-awaited heart transplant.
When her mom broke the news to Sofia, she screamed in disbelief. "I'm getting a heart, Mom? Oh my god!"
The surgery was already underway by 8 a.m. on Monday, according to Dr. Stuart Berger, a cardiologist at Lurie Children's Hospital. A heart transplant surgery on average takes 8-12 hours, according to hospital spokeswoman Kathleen Keenan.
After nine hours of surgery, Sofia was back in her hospital bed at Lurie Children's Hospital recovering, the hospital announced in a press release around 6 p.m. Monday.
Berger said Sanchez was in good spirits when she went into surgery this morning.
"She was very happy yet nervous, but nervousness is common," Berger said. "She's a delightful young lady."
Drake made a surprise visit to Sofia's hospital room after she posted a video of her dancing in a hospital hallway with her cousin to Drake's "In My Feelings," showing off her dance moves while hooked up to an IV pump.
Berger attributes Sanchez's positivity to the support of her loved ones. Taking selfies with Drake probably didn't hurt, either.
According to Lurie Children's Hospital, Sofia was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a condition that often leads to heart failure and need for a heart transplant in order to survive. She underwent open heart surgery three weeks ago and had been waiting for a new heart for eight weeks.
She is expected to make a full recovery, Berger said.
"She will have a heart that works normally and she will be able to run, play and go to school," he said. "She will need some follow-up care and testing, but she'll be able to do many of things she wouldn't have otherwise been able to do."
