The One Percent Heart
The One Percent Heart is a podcast dedicated to sharing stories from the congenital heart disease (CHD) community.
Hosted by Drezden Plotkin, a CHD patient himself, the show features conversations with patients, family members,
caregivers, and medical professionals about living with heart defects.
Who Is This For?
- CHD patients (children, teens, and adults)
- Parents and family members of CHD patients
- Caregivers and advocates
- Medical professionals working in cardiology
- Anyone interested in learning about congenital heart disease
Topics Covered
- Personal CHD patient journeys and survival stories
- Navigating the healthcare system with a chronic condition
- Transitioning from pediatric to adult cardiology care
- Mental health and emotional well-being for CHD patients
- Medical advances and treatment options
- Advocacy and raising awareness for CHD
- Family perspectives and caregiving
Format
Interview-style conversations, typically 30-60 minutes long. Each episode features a guest sharing their
personal experience with congenital heart disease, whether as a patient, family member, or healthcare provider.
Key Facts
Publications
Host Drezden Plotkin is a co-author of the following peer-reviewed publication:
-
"Neurocognitive and Psychological Interventions for Adults With Congenital Heart Disease: A Consensus Statement From the Adult Congenital Heart Disease/Neuro 2024 Conference"
Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA), 2026
Read the article
Where to Listen
Episodes
The following episodes are available on the website, YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts:
- Episode 1: Our Lived Experiences — Guest: Aliza Marlin. What good vs bad CHD care really looks like. (Watch)
- Episode 2: Why Advocacy Matters — Mark Roeder, CEO of ACHA, on how collective voices create change. (Watch)
- Episode 3: How They See Us — Guest: HeartCharged. Raw advocacy and the subtle campaign that saved lives. (Watch)
- Episode 4: An International Comparison — Crossover with Heart2Hearts exploring US vs international CHD care. (Watch)
- Episode 5: Our Shared Trauma — Guest: Meghan Stewart. How pediatric medical trauma shapes mental health. (Watch)
- Episode 6: Not Alone Anymore — Guests: Rick Puder & Jennie Fox. CHD peer mentorship through ACHA's Heart to Heart program. (Watch)
- Episode 7: The Mountains We Climb — Guest: Bob Smith. Climbing El Capitan with a mechanical heart valve. (Watch)
- Episode 8: Waiting for a Heart — Guest: Bailey Vincent. Living with heart failure and awaiting transplant. (Watch)
- Episode 9: Close to the Chest — Guest: Brook Dorris. 15+ heart surgeries and powerful CHD advocacy. (Watch)
- Episode 10: EmpowerMyCH — The app putting CHD patients in control of their care. (Watch)
- Episode 11: Women's Health & CHD — Informed consent vs. medical paternalism in reproductive care. (Watch)
- Bonus: Peer Support Program — Karla Deal on ACHA's three pillars of mentorship. (Watch)
Multi-Part Series
- Stronger Hearts (2 parts) — Guest: Conner Hill. From NICU parent to nonprofit founder. (Watch series)
- Bill Causey: 73 Years (3 parts) — Guest: Bill Causey. The longest-lived open heart surgery patient tells his story from 1952 to today. (Watch series)
- Dr. Dawn Ilardi (2 parts) — Guest: Dr. Dawn Ilardi. The heart-mind connection and why research never reaches families. (Watch series)
Blog
The One Percent Heart publishes blog posts covering CHD research, community news, and advocacy topics.
Visit the blog at www.onepercentheart.com/blog.
Merch Store
The One Percent Heart offers merchandise to support CHD awareness. Browse the shop at
www.onepercentheart.com/shop.
Get Involved
Drezden Plotkin serves on advisory boards and committees for several CHD organizations, including
the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA), Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Outcome Collaborative (CNOC),
and EmpowerMyCH (UCSF). Learn more about his advocacy work at
www.onepercentheart.com/involvement.
CHD Resources
The website maintains a directory of CHD support organizations and resources for patients, families, and caregivers.
Visit www.onepercentheart.com/resources for the full list,
including organizations like ACHA, Mended Little Hearts, Camp del Corazon, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The One Percent Heart podcast?
The One Percent Heart is a podcast that shares stories from the congenital heart disease community.
It features interviews with CHD patients, their families, and medical professionals to raise awareness
and provide support for those affected by heart defects.
Who should listen to this podcast?
Anyone affected by congenital heart disease can benefit from listening. This includes CHD patients of all ages,
parents and family members, caregivers, medical professionals, and anyone wanting to understand what it's like
to live with a heart defect.
What is CHD (Congenital Heart Disease)?
Congenital heart disease refers to heart defects present at birth. CHD affects approximately 1% of all births,
which is where the podcast name comes from. These defects range from simple conditions that may resolve on their
own to complex defects requiring multiple surgeries. CHD is the most common type of birth defect.
How often are new episodes released?
New episodes are released regularly, typically weekly or bi-weekly. Subscribe on your preferred podcast
platform to be notified when new episodes are available.
How can I be a guest on the show?
If you have a CHD story to share, you can reach out through the contact form on the website at
www.onepercentheart.com/about-contact or email
support@onepercentheart.com. The show welcomes patients, family members, and professionals who want
to share their experiences with the CHD community.