RyeCity REVIEW THE
September 22, 2023 | Vol. 10, Number 37 | www.ryecityreview.com
Five-year-old is the 2023 Westchester Heart Walk Heart Hero
RIVALS REV UP! Bryce Kelley, 5, is this year’s Heart Hero of the Westchester Heart Walk at Kensico Dam.
Harrison and Rye square off in a varsity soccer match on Wednesday, Sept. 13. The Garnets scored two early goals and topped the Huskies 4-1. For story, see page 16. Photo/Mike Smith
New COVID vaccine recommended for 6 months and up The Westchester County Department of Health wants residents to know an updated COVID-19 vaccine that targets the variant currently circulating has been approved for use, and is recommended for everyone six months and older to protect against serious illness. Health Commissioner Dr. Sherlita Amler said: “With new variants circulating, please schedule COVID-19 vaccines for your whole family, as soon as possible. Vaccination protects you and it protects those around you who are more vulnerable to complications, such as infants too young to be vaccinated, seniors and people
with chronic health conditions.” Most people with health insurance can find the vaccine at pharmacies, and healthcare providers. The Westchester County Health Department will offer this booster to children eligible for the Vaccines for Children Program, and to adults who are not insured or who are underinsured. Vaccines will be available by appointment only. To learn whether you or your children are eligible and to schedule a visit, call 995-5800 weekdays before 4:30 p.m. To find a vaccine near you, go to www.vaccines.gov.
Bryce Kelley, a five-year-old who had life-saving heart surgery at fourmonths-old will serve as the Heart Hero at the Westchester Heart Walk on Saturday, Sept. 23 at Kensico Dam. The Heart Walk Festival opens at 9 a.m. with the Heart Walk starting at 10 a.m. “The pediatric doctor noticed a heart murmur that wasn’t going away 3 days after Bryce was born which doctors said usually went away in most babies,” said Erin Kelley, Bryce’s mother. “We learned that Bryce was diagnosed with Ventricular Septal Defect and needed surgery because her heart was working way to hard and she wasn’t gaining weight.” Ventricular Septal Defect is a birth defect of the heart in which there is a hole in the wall (septum) that separates the two lower chambers (ventricles) of the heart. “Bryce struggled to eat at times because she didn’t seem to have the strength to digest the food, she was either to congested or to tired. She only ate at most 3oz at a time. She spit up a lot when we seemed to over feed her,” said Erin. “During the day she ate around every 2 hrs. and at night around every 3 hrs. She slept a lot after the feeding because it was a lot of work for her heart to work. It was burning a lot of calories because
it was pumping very fast.” On March 20, 2018, Bryce underwent five hours of heart surgery but it wasn’t the traditional open heart surgery. Doctors performed a transverse axillary incision that accessed her heart under her right arm rather than splitting the breastbone. They collapsed her lung and entered her heart where they put a patch to close the hole. This approach reduced Bryce’s recovery time as she only stayed 2 nights in the hospital (the night after the surgery and then a second night). “The recovery time was amazing, and she was very happy afterwards along with being more alert,” said Erin. Today Bryce is a very happy healthy 5-year-old. She loves music, arts and crafts, reading, and pretending. She is a very typical lovely child who wants to help everyone and be heard. She loves playing with her 2-year-old brother and has many friends. Join Bryce and other survivors of heart disease and stroke at the 2023 Westchester Heart Walk. The Heart Walk is sponsored locally by WMCHealth, NewYork-Presbyterian and Fujifilm. For more information on the Heart Walk please visit westchesterheartwalk.org.