For Bill McCall, Children’s Hospital Colorado is more than a hospital. It is the place that provided his daughter, Leslie, with the pediatric expertise she needed to live a life filled with skiing, snowboarding, laughter and unforgettable memories despite a complex congenital heart condition that required five open-heart surgeries and ultimately a heart transplant.

Leslie was born in 1980 with multiple congenital heart defects, including atrial septal defect (ASD) and ventricular septal defect (VSD). Shortly after her birth in Fort Collins, she was transferred to Children’s Colorado for specialized care.

“We were young, scared and overwhelmed parents,” Bill recalled. “But from the very beginning, the team at Children’s Colorado gave us hope.”

Over the years, Leslie underwent multiple surgeries to help her heart function as she grew. Through every stage of treatment, Children’s Colorado cardiology teams helped make it possible for her to keep being a kid.

She learned to ski at age 5. By 8, she was snowboarding with her dad. She rode horses, built sandcastles, attended school dances and graduated high school.

“One of the things I appreciated most was that the care team always treated Leslie like a person first,” Bill said. “They told us the truth. They respected her. And they gave her the opportunity to live as normal a life as possible.”

Throughout her childhood, Leslie became a passionate advocate for organ donation. Inspired by her own wait for a heart transplant, she shared her story with schools, community groups and even the Colorado State Senate.

After years of waiting, Leslie received a heart transplant at Children’s Colorado. The road was not easy, but the transplant gave her more time. Shortly after, she moved to California with her mother to live at a lower altitude.

Sadly, Leslie passed away in 2007 at age 26 and chose to be an organ donor in hopes of supporting others.

From the Heart

Years later, Bill reconnected with Children’s Colorado through the annual holiday Harley Toy Drive, where memories of Leslie’s care experiences came rushing back.

“At first, it brought tears,” he said. “But eventually it became healing.”

During one holiday event, Bill distributed toys to families spending Christmas in the hospital while their children were admitted.

“I got to talk with parents and help them pick out stuffed animals for their kids,” he said. “It reminded me of all the times we were in their shoes.”

That experience inspired Bill to think more intentionally about the legacy he wanted to leave behind to honor Leslie’s life.

He has included Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation in his estate plans to ensure future families facing unimaginable diagnoses receive the same compassionate care and support his family experienced.

“Children’s Colorado was there for us during the hardest moments of our lives. This is my way of saying thank you,” said Bill

Bill hopes his planned gift, which includes naming Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation as a beneficiary of his IRA and donating his house, will honor Leslie’s memory while helping children experience more birthdays, more milestones and more time with the people who love them.

“Leslie would want people to remember two things,” Bill said with a smile. “First, appreciate every day you get. And second, sign your driver’s license.”

A very special donor is at the center of every organ transplant story. We thank the many families who make our extraordinary care possible.