Corey Chambers Real Estate Newsletter July 2024 | The California Home

The California Home
The California Home

Celebrate ‘Your’ Independence… TOO!

July 4th 1776 is a momentous day in history for all FREE

Owning real estate, especially your own home, is a sure-fire celebration of independence. In today’s market, many homeowners really want to make a move but are finding themselves in a catch-22 – whether to sell first or buy first. They don’t want to end up getting stuck owning two homes or none at all. I am sure you will join me in saying we can’t blame them. I also believe that you agree that this is true for ourselves and others; homeownership is good for ALL. The more who can buy a home, the more who can sell a home, the more our economy benefits. And as Jimmy Carter said, “To be true to ourselves, we must be true to others.

Fortunately, I have a special program for Home Owners wanting to move and Buyers wanting to buy in Today’s market that turns the tables on this CATCH 22.

Over the last 12+ years of selling real estate, I have been able to develop and successfully implement a program that allows me to guarantee the sale of a property. Yep, you read that right. Actually guarantee in writing the sale of a home. Obviously, a program like this gives sellers GREAT PEACE OF MIND (a true celebration of independence from fear). I guarantee, upfront and in writing, that if their home does not sell at their price and within their time frame – I will step in and buy it myself.

The conditions are simple: the seller and I must agree on the price and possession date. Buyers benefit too because we are able to ensure they get the home they want and back up their purchase with a satisfaction guarantee: if they are not happy with the home, we will buy it back. This obviously is a win-win for all involved.

This is where you come in…

Your friends, neighbors, work associates, and family members who may be considering a move can now do so and celebrate true independence from the fear of getting stuck with two homes or none at all. And remember… Your referrals help the Children… As I share with you each month, we are on a mission to raise $25,000 for the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Helping Hands Fund. We do this by donating a portion of our income. Children’s does great work in helping kids overcome cancer and other life-threatening diseases. In fact, Kids under their care are 300% more likely to enter into remission IF they can get into the recovery center. BUT the Recovery Center depends on sponsorships and donations to keep rolling. So, YOUR REFERRALS REALLY DO HELP THE KIDS…

Who do you know considering buying or selling a home you could refer to my real estate sales team? Not only will they benefit from our award-winning service, but we donate a portion of our income on every home sale to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Helping Hands Fund. I want to make it easy to refer your friends, neighbors, associates, or family members considering making a move, so here are your options:

1. You can go to www.ReferralsHelpKids.com and enter their contact info on line or forward the link to who you know considering a move.

2. Of course you can always call me direct as well at 888-240-2500.

You and your referrals mean more than ever to my team and me. As we move forward in this new season, please know my team and I are extremely thankful for you and you’re being a special part of our business.

With all my appreciation.

P.S. The story of this young person enclosed may cause you to look at your loved ones differently. It did me. Check it out.

It’s easy to refer those you know considering buying or selling a home. Here are the Options Again:

You can go to www.ReferralsHelpKids.com and enter their contact info on line or forward the link to someone you know considering a move.

Call me direct or pass my number on 213-880 9910.

Why I Support Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles

I grew up right here in Los Angeles. Born right nearby at St. Francis Hospital. I remember when I first heard about a young person close to our family suffering from a serious disease and getting treated for that at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. It was then that I began to pay closer attention to the work they do at that hospital. Since then, I have learned that it is a collection of hard-working health care professionals, most making their home right here in the Los Angeles area, all coming together for a common cause. That cause is to help young people overcome unfortunate health issues that life sometimes throws our way. Being a Los Angeles area, California native, I take pride in supporting in any way that I can the good work these people do at Children’s. My team rallies around our annual goal of raising money and donating portions of our income to help Children’s Hospital in its quest to heal young people when they need healing. My team and I are committed to providing outstanding results for buyers and sellers referred to us by our past clients. I have discovered that Children’s Hospital Los Angeles shares similar commitments to their patients. And since their services survive on sponsorships and donations we are happy to contribute and proud to support them.

New Treatment for Down Syndrome Regression Disorder Helps Bring Darci Back to Herself

by Parker Danowski

The Special Olympian and her mother find answers and rapid improvement at CHLA.

Track and field star, bowler, floor hockey player, health coach, cooking show host, public speaker—all these words describe Darci.

Growing up with Down syndrome, a genetic condition that results in intellectual disabilities and developmental delays, never kept Darci from staying busy. She excelled in leadership roles and in team settings in her home state of Alaska and participated in mainstream school life.

“In high school, she was in the marching band,” Dana says. “She was varsity high school basketball manager, and she traveled with the team independently, without me. She went to an after-school program where they learn job skills up until she was 21. After that, she got a job with Special Olympics.”

Working for the largest sports organization in the world for individuals with intellectual disabilities, Darci filled an important role.

“Initiatives Assistant,” Darci says proudly. This position involved assisting with clubs at Special Olympics Unified Schools. Beyond her job, Darci was deeply involved with the organization as an athlete, playing multiple sports, and as a public speaker at Special Olympics games and PR events. As Dana says, “You gave this girl a microphone and she could light up a crowd.”

Darci was also the first Special Olympics athlete to become a certified health coach for the organization in Alaska, teaching other athletes how to maintain a healthy lifestyle and hosting a YouTube cooking show. She would even travel with the Seattle Seahawks when the football team would visit Alaska.

Then, in early 2022, things started to change. First, Darci began to mysteriously lose weight. Next came confusion. “Darci would unload the dishwasher and take a spatula and try to put it in the fridge,” Dana says. “She would stand there and she was able to verbalize, ‘I’m confused.’” It quickly got worse.

Darci was also the first Special Olympics athlete to become a certified health coach for the organization in Alaska, teaching other athletes how to maintain a healthy lifestyle and hosting a YouTube cooking show. She would even travel with the Seattle Seahawks when the football team would visit Alaska.

Then, in early 2022, things started to change. First, Darci began to mysteriously lose weight. Next came confusion. “Darci would unload the dishwasher and take a spatula and try to put it in the fridge,” Dana says. “She would stand there and she was able to verbalize, ‘I’m confused.’” It quickly got worse.

“The week of April 11 is when it hit with a vengeance,” Dana explains. Darci stopped eating and began hallucinating. “There was one time it was so bad that I had to stop the car on the highway because I thought she was going to jump out.”

The weight loss ramped up. Darci lost 30% of her body weight and was down to 89 pounds. She lost her ability to bathe or dress herself. An accomplished 28-year-old, Darci was estimated to be functioning at an 18-month-old level. “It was getting pretty scary,” says Dana.

She brought Darci to various medical providers in Alaska, but they could not diagnose her. “I had always heard that this population [those with Down syndrome] was underserved medically, and I had never experienced that personally,” Dana says. She has worked in health care for 31 years and is Manager of Therapy Services at Alaska Regional Hospital. But she was shocked at how difficult it was to get a straight answer from the providers she and Darci were seeing.

One gastrointestinal specialist told Dana that he couldn’t help Darci if she chose not to eat, and Dana had to reiterate that Darci wasn’t choosing not to eat. When they saw a neurologist, Dana was told almost immediately that Darci must have schizophrenia.

“I was like, ‘Based on what diagnosis are you saying that?’” Dana recalls. “This doctor said that her speech was fluent. Darci was mute at that point.”

Dana was able to bring Darci to a psychiatrist who prescribed an antipsychotic medication, which eliminated Darci’s hallucinations. But her other symptoms continued as Dana persisted in her search for answers.

“We did have one primary care provider [PCP] who had known Darci since we transitioned from pediatric care at 18,” she explains. The doctor was also having trouble diagnosing Darci, but Dana says she offered something the other providers didn’t: hope. “She was the one person who was like, ‘I don’t know what it is, but we’re going to find it.’”

And eventually, they did. Dana researched Darci’s symptoms on her own. “I was just plugging in anything that I could find that would match Darci’s symptoms. What kept popping up were Dr. Santoro’s articles. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is what Darci has. I’ve got to pursue this path.’”

The articles Dana had discovered were the work of Jonathan D. Santoro, MD, Director of the Neuroimmunology Program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Since 2019, Dr. Santoro had been working to develop a novel treatment protocol for DSRD. He recognized that DSRD was often misdiagnosed as schizophrenia, early-onset Alzheimer’s disease or late-onset autism. He saw that physicians tended to be so focused on a patient’s Down syndrome that they wouldn’t fully investigate their individual symptoms.

“I just kept asking the question: Why are we treating these patients differently?” Dr. Santoro says. He became determined to better understand DSRD and identify new ways to treat it.

He tested patients with DSRD for conditions that could be affecting the brain and found inflammatory markers in the patients’ cerebrospinal fluid. Evidence began to grow that DSRD could be treated as an inflammatory condition.

This data led Dr. Santoro and CHLA to launch the first clinical trial for DSRD. A National Institutes of Health-funded collaboration with the University of Colorado and Children’s Hospital Colorado, the trial is investigating the safety and effectiveness of three potential treatments: lorazepam, a medicine that treats catatonia; an immune therapy called intravenous immunoglobin (IVIg); and Tofacitinib, a drug that suppresses an individual’s immune system.

By the time Dana reached out to Dr. Santoro, he was deeply familiar with DSRD. “He and our PCP connected and he gave her the diagnostics that we needed to run,” Dana says. Dana and Darci finally received a DSRD diagnosis seven months after the onset of Darci’s symptoms. “Then we went straight to Dr. Santoro  in California to initiate our treatments.”

Dr. Santoro recalls meeting Dana and Darci in person for the first time at CHLA. “The thing that I was most struck by was what Darci used to do,” he says. “I mean, she’s not just a typical young woman—she’s leading Special Olympics, she’s the upstanding citizen in her community, she just does so much. So to meet her and see this shell of a person—it was a very emotional visit between Dana and Darci and myself.”

Dr. Santoro initially prescribed lorazepam to address Darci’s catatonia. The first signs of improvement emerged during the pandemic. “We were still using masks,” Dana recalls, tearing up. “The first thing Darci did independently was she went and put all the masks by the door in a basket. That seems like a silly task—putting masks in a basket. But when you’ve gone seven months with just nothing—sitting on the couch and just being catatonic and not able to do anything—that simple task was just huge.”

The progress continued. Darci regained the ability to dress herself and eat on her own. Then, after Dana worked hard to obtain coverage from her insurance provider, Darci began IVIg infusions. “She’s been on that for about 16 months,” Dana says. “And we continue to see improvements.” The changes aren’t as drastic as they were when Darci started treatment, but every step forward is major.

Dr. Santoro also emphasizes that Darci’s providers in Alaska were open to discussing Darci’s progress, as well as his research. This helped immensely in monitoring Darci’s treatment between her visits to CHLA.

“We shared the literature and we talked about what to monitor for, and the doctors over there were really fantastic,” he says.

Through this experience, Darci has been attending a Family Outreach Center for Understanding Special Needs (FOCUS) in Alaska to re-engage in activities like community service. She has been involved with FOCUS since childhood, and they have played an important role in her DSRD journey. The FOCUS team brought Darci back to the space where she used to host her cooking show, and she has started to cook again.

Dana happily describes Darci’s present state. “Treatment’s going great,” she says. “Of all of the symptom clusters that are DSRD, most of them are gone.” The areas that they are still working on with Dr. Santoro are Darci’s speech and her internal motivation to independently perform tasks.

Dr. Santoro understands that while Darci is on a positive path, many others with DSRD need help.

“We get hundreds of emails a month from people all over the world,” he says. To support these individuals, Dr. Santoro remains committed to translating his research into new treatments as quickly as possible. “Being fast has really allowed us to totally change the landscape, and I think that will continue in the next couple of years as we get more and more data.”

As Dana and Darci look ahead, Special Olympics has assured them that there will be a position for Darci when she is ready to return. At the mention of this, Darci smiles wide and gives a thumbs up. Dana looks forward to Darci being able to organize the FOCUS  Halloween party and to dance at Special Olympics dances again.

Dana also recognizes how much she and Darci have had to grow through this experience. “I think it has brought out a spirit of advocacy,” she explains. “I’m advocating for lifesaving care for her—and I’m telling this story so that any other physician, health care provider or parent can just know what this is so they don’t have to search for answers like so many of us have.”

Meanwhile, Darci is steadily resuming the activities she used to enjoy. She cooks again—making breakfast with her mom and preparing some favorite dishes (like runny eggs and hash browns, she says). She asks to listen to songs that she hasn’t heard in a long time.

“She recognizes that she’s not doing something, and she says, ‘I want to do it,’” Dana explains. “That’s Darci’s goal.”

Learn more about CHLA’s Down Syndrome Neurology Program.

Refer your friends, neighbors, associates, or family members who are considering making a move:

www.ReferralsHelpKids.com 
or call Corey at 213-880-9910

Copyright © This free information is provided courtesy of L.A. Loft Blog and Entar.com with the information provided by Corey Chambers, Broker, DRE#01889449 We are not associated with the homeowner’s association or developer. For more information, contact (213) 880-9910 or visit CoreyChambers.com Licensed in California. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Properties are subject to prior sale or rental. This is not a solicitation if the buyer or seller is already under contract with another broker.

Corey Chambers Real Estate Newsletter May 2024 | The California Home

A Mother’s Gift: The Foundation for a Lifelong Passion in Writing

Every mother has her unique way of guiding and teaching her children. My mother was no exception. She was instrumental in teaching me to read and write even before I started my formal education. Her nurturing and guidance have made me who I am today: a passionate writer and the proud author of the L.A. Loft Blog. As we celebrate Mother’s Day, I want to share my story as a tribute to my mother and all the amazing moms out there who shape their children’s lives in profound ways.

The Wise Woman and Her Free-Range Approach

My mother was not the type to constantly instruct me on what to do or not to do. Instead, she was more of a free-range mom who believed in giving me space to learn and grow at my own pace. She offered valuable advice when needed, and time has revealed that she was, indeed, a wise woman. Her approach allowed me to develop a strong sense of independence and curiosity, which later translated into my passion for reading and writing.

The California Home
The California Home

The Gift of Reading and Writing

Before I even set foot in my first grade classroom, my mother had already taught me to read and write at a third-grade level. She recognized the importance of a strong foundation in literacy and spent countless hours nurturing my abilities. This early start in my education not only made me feel confident and ready for school but also sparked a love for reading and writing that has stayed with me throughout my life.

The L.A. Loft Blog: A Testament to a Mother’s Love

In addition to Loft Blog readers, friends and clients, my mother’s guidance and support led to my success. Her belief in me and her dedication to my education laid the groundwork for my passion for writing. This Mother’s Day, I want to acknowledge her impact on my life and express my gratitude for her unwavering love and support.

A Gift for All Mothers

This Mother’s Day, let’s celebrate the wisdom, love, and dedication of all mothers, both present and those who are no longer with us. Each mother has her unique way of shaping her children’s lives, and their influence lasts a lifetime. So here’s a heartfelt gift to all moms out there: Buy a home in May, get $5,000 cash from your broker, the Corey Chambers Team, at closing. Happy Mother’s Day!

Though my mother is no longer here, her legacy lives on in my writing and my love for reading. Her wisdom and love have made a lasting impact on my life, and I am forever grateful. As we celebrate Mother’s Day, let’s remember to honor and appreciate the incredible women who have made us who we are today. Happy Mother’s Day to all the wise, loving, and dedicated mothers out there. Your impact is immeasurable, and your love knows no bounds.

Corey Chambers Team raising $25,000 for CHLA

Supporting Moms at Children’s Hospital: How Your Real Estate Referrals Can Help Families in Need

There are many ways to make a positive impact on the lives of families with sick children. At Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, the dedicated staff goes above and beyond to support mothers whose children are fighting for their lives. As we approach Mother’s Day, it’s important to remember that many moms are by their child’s bedside, focusing on their well-being rather than on their own special day. One way you can help these moms and their children is through your real estate referrals. Read on to learn how your referrals can make a difference in the lives of these families.

The Mission: Raising $25,000 for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Our team is on a mission to raise $25,000 for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The funds raised will support the Children’s Recovery Center, where kids battling cancer and other debilitating diseases receive life-saving care. The Recovery Center relies on sponsorships and donations to operate, and your real estate referrals can help ensure that more children have access to this vital resource.

Children receiving care at the Children’s Recovery Center are 300% more likely to enter remission when they can access its services. With your help, we can make a difference in the lives of these young patients and their families.

How Your Referrals Help the Kids

When you refer someone to our real estate sales team, not only do they benefit from our award-winning service, but we also donate a substantial portion of our income from every home sale to Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. This means that your referrals directly contribute to the well-being of children in need.

How to Make a Referral

Referring someone is easy. Just visit www.ReferralsHelpKids.com or call us directly at 213-880-9910. You can rest assured that your referrals will receive excellent service, as well as our exclusive guarantees:

  • Home Sellers: We will sell your home at your price, or we’ll buy it ourselves.*
  • Home Buyers: If you are not completely satisfied with your home within 24 months of purchase, we will buy it back or sell it for free, your choice.*

Why Your Referrals Matter

Your referrals not only help us provide top-notch real estate services, but they also support a worthy cause. Children’s Hospital Los Angeles relies on the generosity of people like you to continue its life-saving work.

As we honor mothers this month, let’s not forget the moms who are fighting for their children’s lives. Your referrals can make a difference for these families and help Children’s Hospital continue its vital mission.

*Conditions apply. Please inquire for details.

A Lifelong Connection: Why I Support Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) is a beacon of hope for countless families in need of specialized care for their children. As a native of the Greater Los Angeles Area, I have always felt a deep connection to this incredible institution and its mission. In this article, I will share my personal story of why I support Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and how my team and I work together to contribute to their cause.

A Personal Connection to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

We are grateful for your support in our effort to raise $25,000 for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. By referring friends, family, and associates to our real estate sales team, you’re not only helping them find their dream home, but you’re also giving back to a meaningful cause. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of children and their families. Visit www.ReferralsHelpKids.com or call us at 213-880-9910 to make a referral today.

Growing up in the Greater Los Angeles Area, I was born in Los Angeles County at St. Francis Hospital. My connection to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles began when a young person close to our family suffered from a severe illness and received treatment at CHLA. This experience opened my eyes to the vital work carried out by the dedicated healthcare professionals at the hospital. As a result, I felt compelled to contribute to their mission in any way possible.

The Common Cause: Healing Young Lives

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles brings together hard-working healthcare professionals from the Los Angeles area, united by a common cause – to help young people overcome the health challenges life sometimes presents. As a native of the area, I take immense pride in supporting the incredible work carried out by the CHLA team. My team and I have made it our annual goal to raise money and donate a portion of our income to help CHLA in their quest to heal young people when they need it the most.

Our Commitment to Supporting CHLA

My team and I are dedicated to providing outstanding results for buyers and sellers referred to us by our past clients. We have found that Children’s Hospital Los Angeles shares a similar commitment to their patients. Since their services rely on sponsorships and donations, we are delighted to contribute and proud to support their life-changing work.

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is an institution that has touched the lives of countless families in the Greater Los Angeles Area. My personal connection to CHLA has inspired me and my team to support their mission in any way we can. By raising funds and donating a portion of our income, we aim to contribute to the incredible work they do to heal young lives. Together, we can make a difference and help CHLA continue to provide hope and healing to those who need it the most.


From Fetal Diagnosis to Fontan Procedure to Fun-loving Kid

E.J. was born with pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum, a rare single-ventricle heart defect.

Five months into an uneventful pregnancy for their second child, Marie and Noel received news from their obstetrician no parents want to hear—the latest scan looked as if something was seriously wrong with their unborn baby’s heart.

“We were pretty shocked, hoping it wasn’t true and the next ultrasound would show that,” Noel says. “There was definitely some denial, some shock and hope.”

Their obstetrician referred them to the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Fetal Cardiology Program, part of the nationally ranked Heart Institute, where specialists have both the experience and technology to diagnose and treat the most complex neonatal heart defects.

Pediatric cardiologist Grace Kung, MD, performed a fetal echocardiogram. “At 20 weeks gestation, we can get a clear picture of the heart’s chambers, valves and arteries and the direction of blood flow,” she says.

What Dr. Kung saw confirmed the suspicions. Marie and Noel’s baby had a rare heart defect called pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum. In this condition, the pulmonary valve between the heart and lungs doesn’t form properly, or at all, and blood can’t flow normally from the heart’s right lower chamber (ventricle) to the lungs to pick up oxygen for the body.

About 1% of babies are born each year in the U.S. with a congenital heart defect. Pulmonary atresia is even more rare—it affects about 1% of that 1%, or 1 in 7,100 babies annually.

“We knew the road ahead would be difficult at times,” says Marie, “but Children’s Hospital was going to help us. They quickly developed a whole plan for us.”

Making a diagnosis in utero gives doctors a chance to strategize before birth. “It takes away any surprises, and we can prevent the baby from getting too sick,” says Dr. Kung.

CHLA’s fetal cardiology specialists collaborate with other experts across the Heart Institute, including world-class congenital heart surgeons, fetal surgeons, heart rhythm specialists, neonatologists and imaging specialists. “What sets CHLA apart is our collaborative work,” says Dr. Kung. “Every patient is discussed throughout their care.”

Welcome to the world

Marie gave birth to their 6-pound, 2-ounce baby boy next door to CHLA on Nov. 23, 2015.

The couple named him Emmanuel, his father’s actual first name—meaning “God with us.” They chose his middle name—Josiah—after learning about his heart disease. “Josiah means ‘Jehovah has healed,’” says Marie, “pretty much declaring the hope of healing over his life, however that healing comes.”

The right side of E.J.’s heart was smaller than the left—too small to do its usual job of pumping blood to the lungs. He would need a series of three surgeries called single-ventricle palliation to enhance his heart’s pumping capabilities.

Normally, a blood vessel provides a fetus with oxygenated blood in utero. The vessel closes soon after birth, but doctors gave E.J. medicine to keep it open. On day 2, they inserted a stent—a small, metal mesh tube—inside the vessel. “Instead of a direct route between the blood vessels to the body and the blood vessels to the lungs, it creates a detour,” says Dr. Kung.

E.J.’s recovery went smoothly until day 10. His oxygen saturation level plummeted to zero and his heartbeat slowed dangerously, then briefly stopped. Watchful CTICU nurses started chest compressions, and E.J. was rushed to the operating room for intervention on his atrial septum, a wall separating the heart’s upper chambers.

The incident illustrated something Marie and Noel quickly learned as parents of a baby with a heart defect: the times in between major surgeries could be scarier than the major procedures, says Marie.

They also learned to be careful monitors of their son’s health and idiosyncrasies. For example, sometimes E.J. simply held his breath, then started breathing normally again. Marie would assure nurses new to his bedside there was no need to panic.

Both parents were comforted by how closely the doctors, nurses and other team members listened to them. “Their knowledge and attentiveness really gave us peace of mind,” says Noel.

Just before Christmas, 1-month-old E.J. came home for the first time and met his big sister, Arabella, almost 3 years old. “She knew she had a brother,” says Marie, “but she wanted to see him for herself.”

The family returned to CHLA when E.J. was 5 months old for the Glenn procedure. Surgeons connected one of the large veins that returns blood to the heart to the pulmonary artery, while another vein kept blood flowing to the right side of the heart.

Since birth, E.J.’s oxygen saturation level had been consistently low, once dipping down to 33%, far below the desired 95% to 100%. Before the Glenn Procedure, his level averaged about 60% to 70%. Now it began rising. “He was very active, with a lot of energy,” Marie says.

Just before E.J.’s third birthday, he underwent the Fontan procedure. This time, cardiac surgeons rerouted his circulation so blood from the lower body went directly to his lungs, while high-oxygen blood went into the heart. Suddenly, E.J.’s oxygen levels jumped to 95%—finally within the healthy range.

Lifelong monitoring and care

The number of Fontan surgeries that the Heart Institute performs annually is among the largest in the U.S. “Single-ventricle defects are challenging conditions to treat. Although they are quite rare, you wouldn’t know it coming to CHLA,” says Andrew Cheng, MD, who leads the multidisciplinary Fontan Program. “We see patients with this type of condition every single day.” The program helps troubleshoot potential complications for children with Fontan circulation, including problems with the liver, kidneys and lungs, along with learning disabilities and mental health problems.

When they visit the Fontan Program, families can see specialists from every key area in one visit as needed. The goal of this monitoring: early detection and treatment.

In February 2024, CHLA opened the Fetal Cardiac Clinic. This dedicated home for the Fetal Cardiology Program offers over 3,000 square feet and three scanning rooms for comprehensive care to expectant mothers and the fetal patient population during and after pregnancy. In addition to fetal echocardiograms, its advanced prenatal diagnostic tools include 3D/4D ultrasound, fetal magnetic resonance imaging and maternal hyperoxygenation testing.

E.J.’s journey continues

Above all, “we want these children with heart defects to be normal kids,” says Dr. Kung, who became E.J.’s primary cardiologist at his parent’s request. “We want them to play with other kids and go to school.”

E.J. returns regularly for checkups at CHLA, where he is a big fan of the therapy dogs, mobile library and playrooms, which Arabella also enjoys. A happy, busy 8-year-old, E.J. loves soccer, as well as jiu jitsu and basketball. He’s doing well in school, where his favorite subject is art. He sings in school performances and participates in piano recitals.

Marie and Noel started a scrapbook of the family’s experience labeled “E.J.’s Journey.” E.J. often looks through the book. He sometimes asks why he was born with a different kind of heart than his mom, dad and sister have, “but more out of curiosity,” Marie says. “He likes learning about his condition.”

E.J. calls CHLA “The Butterfly Hospital” for its iconic logo. It’s a symbol that also represents his own transformation into “normal kid.”

Find out more about the Heart Institute at CHLA.

How You Can Help

Anyone you know who might be making a move — refer them to the Corey Chambers real estate team. Not only will they benefit from our award winning service, but this very worthy cause will benefit as well. Corey Chambers 213-880-9910 helpkids@coreychambers.com www.ReferralsHelpKids.com

Copyright © This free information provided courtesy L.A. Loft Blog with information provided by Corey Chambers, Broker CalDRE 01889449. We are not associated with the seller, homeowner’s association or developer. For more information, contact 213-880-9910 or visit LALoftBlog.com Licensed in California. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Some text and images have been created or modified by artificial intelligence. Properties subject to prior sale or rental. This is not a solicitation if buyer or seller is already under contract with another broker.