For Sydney Pelusio, of Hilton, Doom’s Day came on March 8, 2024, but her recovery has been a true testament to resilience, expert medical care, and the unwavering support of loved ones.
Last year, the then 32-year-old mom went to a local urgent care with viral symptoms – headache, nausea, and fatigue. Urgent care staff recommended she seek further treatment. By the time she got to Unity Hospital in Greece, she was so weak that she collapsed.
While physicians at Unity were examining Sydney’s heart, she went into cardiac arrest. The team urgently performed CPR, brought her back to life and implanted an Impella device to keep her heart beating. Sydney was a regular jogger and had no history of cardiac problems.
Providers suspected she had myocarditis and started treatment.
RRH Interventional Cardiologist Cameron Hall, MD, determined Sydney needed a higher level of care and rode in an ambulance with her to Rochester General Hospital. Once she arrived, she was connected to an Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) machine – a life support treatment that pumps and oxygenates blood.
RRH Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiologist Amanda Coniglio, MD, worried Sydney’s heart was so damaged that she would need a transplant. She got in touch with the cardiac team across town at the University of Rochester Medical Center where they placed her on the list for a new heart.
While waiting for that new heart, Sydney started to improve. She was awake, neurologically intact and doing so much better that her care team eventually took her off the transplant list. Sydney would later have a defibrillator implanted and undergo cardiac rehabilitation. She was discharged three weeks later, and a subsequent MRI showed that there is no scar in her heart from the ordeal, which doctors say is remarkable.
In November, RRH celebrated Sydney’s incredible survival and recovery, reuniting her with some of the more than 50 team members whose coordinated efforts had saved her life.
“Sydney’s story is an example of the miracles achieved when health care pulls together as a team: doctors, nurses, sonographers, paramedics, administrative professionals – everyone has a role in making these miracles happen,” Jennifer Eslinger, President of Health Care Operations and Chief Operating Office at Rochester Regional Health, said in November.
Last weekend, Sydney reached another incredible milestone in her recovery journey – she ran the Disney Princess Half Marathon at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. After months of dedicated training under the guidance of her doctors, she crossed the finish line in about three hours, proving just how strong she has become.
“I could not have done it without the support of my family, friends, husband and of course, Dr. Coniglio,” said Sydney Pelusio.
Rochester Regional Health is proud to celebrate Sydney’s inspiring accomplishments. Her journey serves as a reminder of the power of perseverance, the importance of expert care, and the limitless potential of the human spirit.
Provided information and photos
After months of training, Sydney ran the Disney Princess Half Marathon in about three hours.
Sydney Pelusio (left) and friends.
