Batesville teen overcoming most recent medical setback, had big weekend

Steven Harmeyer
Aug 17
2 min read

A fundraiser was launched a few weeks ago

(CINCINNATI) – A Batesville teen who has overcome some serious medical battles made progress on her most recent obstacle on Sunday.

17-year-old Peyton Sherrell was admitted into Cincinnati Children’s Hospital on July 28. It was due to her suffering from heart rejection after receiving a heart transplant in 2009.

“She was in critical condition in the ICU and the doctors were telling us that she wasn’t going to make it,” said her mother, Jessica Kelley.

Kelley said she told the doctors that they don’t know Peyton and that she will get through this battle.

Peyton made significant progress this past weekend. On Friday, she was removed from the ECMO machine, which helped pump her heart.

On Sunday, the family had a lot to celebrate as Peyton’s ventilator breathing tube was removed for the first time in several weeks.

“This has been a blessing witnessing a miracle from God! Peyton has overcome many obstacles, including heart failure and getting a transplant, also having Hodgkin’s lymphoma and now beating heart rejection,” her mother said.

Peyton is expected to stay in the hospital for a few more months. Her next steps will be seeing if she can have regular food and also undergoing physical therapy.

A History of Overcoming

Peyton was just 2-years-old when she received a heart transplant in 2009.

Two years later, she was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. Peyton beat the cancer and has been in remission since 2013.

Her medical situation has also caused some social issues. A medication she was taking in 2020 caused overgrowth of gums over her teeth. She got bullied in school because of it.

“I let her know that she’s beautiful inside and out. She’s a gorgeous little girl," Kelley told the Cincinnati Enquirer in 2020.

The family was able to fundraise to give her a new smile after the bullying.

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