Anchorage 6th-grader turns heart condition into mission to help others

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Sixth-grader Kayden Santiago-Iverson has a simple but powerful message for his peers.

“My heart is healthy and yours should be too.”

He has been named one of the American Heart Association’s 2025-26 Youth Heart Ambassadors for Alaska. His selection comes after a remarkable journey of overcoming a serious congenital heart condition.

Kayden was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, or HLHS, before he was even born. The condition means half of his heart doesn’t function properly.

“The left side to be exact,” Kayden explained. “And so, the doctors had to fix it to put metal in my heart. And they put even more metal to keep my chest together.”

Three open-heart surgeries

His medical journey began early — Kayden had his first open-heart surgery at just five days old. As he grew up, he underwent two additional surgeries, with the most recent one being particularly memorable for both him and his mother, Elizabeth Iverson, as they celebrated his fifth birthday.

“I think this last surgery was a different perspective on not only myself, but on him, because as he just said, he’s able to remember things and know what’s going on and know what needs to be done,” Elizabeth said.

Kayden has vivid memories of that time.

“I remember me connected to tubes on a wheelchair type thing and I was just running around like a maniac on the wheelchair,” he said.

A mission to help others

As a Youth Heart Ambassador, Kayden’s mission is clear: reminding everyone to take care of their heart. His motivation is deeply personal.

“Because I don’t want their heart to have problems like my heart does,” he said.

The American Heart Association announces Alaska Students Youth Heart Ambassadors each school year as part of its school-based programs. These ambassadors inspire their peers to build lifelong healthy habits and receive lifesaving education.

Nowadays, Kayden is feeling much healthier, though he knows his journey isn’t over. Eventually, when he’s an adult, he may need a heart transplant.

If that happens, he has an unusual request for his doctors.

“I’m going to ask if I can keep the heart, the HLHS heart. It’s a weird question to ask, but I’m honestly wondering if I can. It would be cool having a heart encased in the gel they keep bugs in and necklaces and stuff,” he said, showing his characteristic humor about his condition.

Elizabeth has advice for other parents navigating similar challenges with their children’s heart conditions.

“Try to stay as positive as you can and just be there for your child and also be there for yourself because if you’re not there for yourself then there leaves nobody else to be there for your child,” she said.

Kayden embraces his unique situation with characteristic childhood wonder, even joking about the technology in his chest, calling himself part robot. Through his role as a Youth Heart Ambassador, this little robot man continues to inspire others while staying strong in his own journey.

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