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A Bellingham family is facing an extraordinary and devastating medical emergency, as both a mother and her 19-year-old daughter were admitted to the University of Washington Medical Center within days of each other for life-threatening cardiac conditions caused by a rare genetic disorder.
Deanna Doeden, a Bellingham resident of 20 years, has spent the past 45 days in the hospital and has now been officially placed on the national transplant waitlist as a Status 3 heart-transplant candidate. Doctors at UW Medicine diagnosed her with Familial Hypercholesterolemia, a genetic mutation of the PCSK9 gene that causes the body to produce dangerously high levels of LDL cholesterol from birth. Over time, this can silently build severe, early heart disease even in young patients who appear otherwise healthy.
After her own diagnosis, Doeden advocated for her children to undergo testing. Her youngest daughter, age 19, received an angiogram two weeks ago that revealed significant blockages. She was admitted immediately and later transferred to UW Medical Center, marking what staff described as the first time they have treated a mother and daughter simultaneously for advanced cardiac complications of the same genetic condition. One week after arrival, surgeons performed a triple bypass on the 19-year-old. She remains in the ICU while her mother continues to wait upstairs on the transplant floor.
Doeden says physicians suspect at least one, and possibly more, of her remaining children will also test positive. Her family has already lost multiple relatives at young ages, long before anyone understood the underlying cause. She says this new diagnosis explains years of symptoms and medical concerns that had repeatedly been dismissed. According to Doeden, her children had each sought medical care for chest pain in the past and were told it was anxiety or panic-related. She believes that early screening could prevent similar crises for many families if more awareness existed.
Despite the uncertainty, the family credits the UW cardiology team—particularly Dr. Dardas—for identifying the condition quickly and taking action that they say has already saved lives. With two family members hospitalized and more testing ahead, Doeden describes the situation as a race against time, both medically and financially. The family is now relying on community support to manage medical costs, missed work, and ongoing care. Doeden has made her video documentation public and has launched a GoFundMe to help cover expenses as the family navigates long-term treatment and recovery.
She says her goal in sharing her story is not only to keep her family afloat during this crisis, but to help others recognize the warning signs of Familial Hypercholesterolemia before it becomes catastrophic. “They are saving us all,” she said of the UW team. “If we had known sooner, so many in our family might still be here.”
Doeden has also made photos and videos of her medical journey public on TikTok at @deannamarie409 for those wishing to follow their progress.
Bellingham Metro News will continue to follow this developing story and provide updates as the family navigates treatment, transplant waitlisting, and ongoing genetic testing.
Article by Fernando Gonzalez, Bellingham Metro News; all photos provided our courtesy of Deanna Doeden with full permission.
Other Donations links Doeden provided to Bellingham Metro News were CashApp and Venmo
Fernando Gonzalez is the Editor-in-Chief of BMN, contact him at [email protected]; 360-510-0929 TEXT ONLY. For tips, email [email protected]
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