JD Vance's age 12 relative denied heart transplant because of vaccination status

JD Vance's 12-year-old relative in Indiana needs a heart transplant, but as of now, she's not going to get one.

The sickening reason?

According to her parents, the girl is barred from the heart transplant list because she has not been vaccinated against COVID and the flu.

Adaline Deal is related to JD Vance via marriage through Vance's half-siblings.

The girl was born with two rare heart conditions that her family knew would one day require a heart transplant, her mother said.

Adaline was adopted by Vance's relatives when she was 4, but has been receiving treatment at Cincinnati Children's Hospital since she was two.

Her parents hoped the girl would be able to receive the heart transplant there.

Unfortunately, the hospital requires transplant patients to be vaccinated. The hospital was told that it goes against the family's belief as nondenominational Christians but refused to make an exception.

Adaline's mother, Janeen Deal, spoke about the situation:

"I thought, wow. So, it’s not about the kid. It’s not about saving her life."

Janeen Deal has refused to have Adaline vaccinated against COVID or the flu, saying "the Holy Spirit put it on our hearts" not to vaccinate her.

The hospital requires vaccinations against preventable diseases for transplant recipients because those patients are extremely vulnerable to infections.

Dr. Camille Kotton, the clinical director of transplant and immunocompromised host infectious diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital, spoke on the matter:

"The first year after transplant is when they’re at highest risk for infection, but they do have a lifelong risk of severe disease and transplant patients are still dying because of COVID-19," Kotton said.

Despite the situation, Janeen Deal is refusing to have her child vaccinated.

"We’ll take it as we can if it happens," Janeen said. "But I know I cannot put this (vaccine) in her body knowing what we know and how we feel about it."