No one has ever accused Lauren Oliver of playing without heart, even when her heart has limited her ability to play at times.
The Trigg County senior is an all-district performer in both volleyball and basketball for the Lady Wildcats. She has accomplished this while suffering from Patent ductus arteriosus – a condition where a fetal blood vessel fails to close after birth.
When she was five years-old, she had a balloon and small stent placed in her heart to help control the backflow of blood. She had another procedure when she was 10 as her heart continued to grow.
In October, she was admitted to Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville so doctors could address a shift of her heart that created slight complications. Once that was corrected, she was back on the floor playing volleyball and helping Trigg County win a district volleyball title.
Lauren has continued to play sports despite what some people would call a limitation. But you would never know it by watching her play. She has been a leader on both the Trigg County volleyball and basketball teams where her play has earned her multiple all-district honors.
Jake Thomas sat down with Lauren to talk about how she has overcome her issues with PDA and what her doctors have told her when it comes to playing with the condition.
