By | 26 Sep 2022

Advocate Spotlight: The Varns Family

When Tucker Varns was 3 days old his parents rushed him to the emergency room. After hours of tests in their hometown in South Dakota, they found out that Tucker was born without his lower left ventricle of his heart. He had his first heart surgery when he was 11 days old, and since then he has had 11 surgeries, including a full heart transplant when he was 21. Now this family are leading the way and sharing their story to expand Medicaid in South Dakota.

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Tucker was called a “million-dollar baby” by some of his doctors, to demonstrate how much he has been through and the cost of it. Medicaid was there for the Varns family, during the early days which was the only way that these procedures and life saving treatment was available.

Tucker is 22 years old, when he turns 26 he will no longer be able to be on his parent’s health insurance, and will not be able to afford his own. Tucker has been a pet lover from day 1 and has even started going to school to become a pet groomer. He would love to work full-time but that might not be possible due to his health. If he is able, he would most likely be like the tens of thousands of other South Dakotans that make too much for Medicaid but not enough to afford it themselves.

The Varns family are sharing their story and working with the American Heart Association and partners to make sure that South Dakota votes “Yes” on Amendment D this November!

Advocate State - SD

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Terry Varns published this page in Advocate Stories Archive Holder 2022-09-26 08:54:36 -0400

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For good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, I hereby grant to the American Heart Association (“AHA”) and its successors and anyone authorized by it the following unrestricted rights and release, all of which may be exercised without geographical, time or other limitation: In regards to the submission of stories, video or digital recordings, whether of an audio or visual nature, and photographs (collectively “Submitted Material”) for use by the AHA, I hereby release the AHA from all liability, and make the following grants and representations in connection therewith:

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