Lake freshman set to receive Courage Award

Lake Catholic freshman Sophia Pecjak was dealt a tough setback early in her life, but she’s proof determination and optimism can go a long way. Because of that and more, Pecjak will receive the 2019 Cleveland Clinic Sports Health Courage Award. Pecjak will be honored Feb. 6 at the 19th Greater Cleveland Sports Awards banquet at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel Grand Ballroom.

The 15-year-old Mentor resident has overcome major medical obstacles to return to her true passion, participating in competitive sports. She plays soccer and basketball.

“Playing sports has always been a big part of my life,” said Pecjak in a statement by the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission. “I feel very blessed to not only be given a second chance at life, but also have the physical ability to continue participating in something that means so much to me.”

The Courage Award is given to an athlete who displays courage beyond the boundaries of their playing field, in order to inspire those around them.

One day in September 2014, Pecjak was a premier-level soccer player, but something didn’t feel right in her chest.

The next day, she visited her Cleveland Clinic pediatrician. She underwent tests and blood work, but a few days later, Pecjak felt worse. She was lethargic, unable to eat or drink, and within 24 hours her symptoms had worsened to the point she was unable to see properly.

Test results showed she was in heart failure most likely due to myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle usually caused by a viral infection.

She was admitted to the hospital and scheduled for a cardiac biopsy the following day, but shortly after being brought to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, she went into cardiac arrest. She was revived and stabilized long enough to get her on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, a treatment that uses a pump to circulate blood through an artificial lung and back to the bloodstream.

Pecjak stayed on the ECMO for five days, and was eventually placed on a heart transplant list. Results from tests revealed her heart had nearly returned to its normal size and she could be taken off the transplant list. She still had a long road to recovery.

After her 21-day stay in the hospital, she returned to school parttime. Her physical activity was restricted, but her goal of returning to the soccer fields and basketball courts was something she would do with courage and hard work.

During the next year, Pecjak continued to receive outpatient cardiac treatment at Cleveland Clinic, and that allowed her to return to competitive sports with no restrictions on activities.

“Sophia embodies the essence of courage, facing a life-threatening illness with grace, faith, strength and of course, courage,” said Colleen Nasman, the Pediatric Heart Transplant coordinator at Cleveland Clinic. “Never a complaint, never a ‘Why me?’, just determination and enduring optimism.”

Pecjak is still followed by the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Pediatric Heart Failure and Transplant team. After her experience, she expressed a strong desire to give back. She hopes to one day join the medical profession in some capacity “to help kids like me.”

Pecjak was supported through her road to recovery by her parents, Carole and Michael, and siblings, Catie and John.

Pecjak