MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) — On Wednesday, WVU Medicine Children’s held its Day of Giving, asking people to donate to help women and children who are being treated there. One such child is eight-month-old Kingston Hamm, who after fighting for nearly his entire life, has become a celebrity within WVU Medicine Children’s Hospital.

“We walk in and everybody knows Kingston,” Kingston’s mother Heather said. “They know him by name. He’s not just a number here, he’s a person and everybody cares a lot about Kingston.”

The young boy from Davis, West Virginia is known for being a warrior within the facility.

Photo of Kingston in July (Courtesy of Heather Hamm)

Doctors detected that Kingston had multiple heart defects when Heather was around 18 weeks pregnant with him. Doctors explained that treatment for the defects would consist of a multi-stage repair.

“It was the worst news we ever heard,” Heather said. “We thought it was the end of the world.”

Kingston was born with hypoplastic right heart syndrome, a heart defect that results in low blood oxygen levels. Infants born with the syndrome have a low survival rate. Immediately, he was in a fight for his life with his loved ones and the team at WVU Medicine Children’s right in his corner.

At less than 10 days old, he went into extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, a form of life support for those with life-threatening heart and lung problems. Soon after, he had multiple open-heart surgeries done to go along with many Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) stays.

  • Photo of Kingston being operated on in August (Courtesy of Heather Hamm)
  • Photo of Kingston after being operated on in August (Courtesy of Heather Hamm)
  • Photo of Kingston later in August (Courtesy of Heather Hamm)

Kingston’s mother said that she is eternally grateful for all of the support and help that the facility has done to give her son the gift of life.

“I would not have Kingston if it was not for WVU,” Heather said. “They’re like a second family to us, I could not have gotten better care for him anywhere else when we stay in the PICU, it is them taking care of me, not only him.”

Now, there is nothing but love and care surrounding Kingston and his heartful battle.

  • Photo of Kingston in January (Courtesy of Heather Hamm)
  • Photo of Kingston in January (Courtesy of Heather Hamm)
  • Photo of Kingston in Feb. (Courtesy of Heather Hamm)
  • Photo of Kingston in March (Courtesy of Heather Hamm)

“People should contribute because right here in the state of West Virginia, you can get the care you need as long as we have the donations and get the equipment to keep the facility amazing like it is now,” Heather said.

Stories like Kingston’s are made possible because of those who donate to WVU Medicine Children’s. Throughout the day on March 22, WVU Medicine hosted a Mediathon where callers could donate to support the hospital. Until the end of the day on March 22, those interested in donating to WVU Medicine Children’s during the Mediathon can call 1-833-279-8505, text WVUKIDS to 51555, or visit OneDayforKids.com.

Also during the Day of Giving, WBOY’s parent company Nexstar Media Group presented WVU Medicine Children’s with a check for $25,000.

Videos from the WVU Medicine Children’s Mediathon can be viewed in the players below.