Pre-Teen Relative of JD Vance Denied Heart Transplant Because She’s ‘Unvaccinated’ [WATCH]

A 12-year-old Indiana girl, who is distantly related to Vice President JD Vance through his half-siblings, has been denied a place on a heart transplant list because she has not received the COVID-19 and flu vaccines, her parents say.

Adaline Deal was born with two rare heart conditions that her family always knew would eventually require a transplant, her mother, Janeen Deal, told The Cincinnati Enquirer.

Adaline, who was adopted from China at age four, has been receiving treatment at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital for nearly a decade.

Dennis Quaid’s #1 Warning for Americans

Her parents had hoped the hospital would perform the transplant, but they were informed that Adaline could not be placed on the transplant list unless she received the required vaccinations.

The hospital declined to make an exemption, even after the family cited religious objections as nondenominational Christians.

“I thought, wow. So, it’s not about the kid. It’s not about saving her life,” Janeen Deal told the newspaper in response to the hospital’s decision.

Janeen Deal, who believes vaccines are unsafe, said she and her husband chose not to vaccinate Adaline after “the Holy Spirit put it on our hearts.”

HORRIFIC: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital denies 12-year-old girl access to lifesaving heart transplant for refusing COVID/Flu shot

Janeen Deal’s daughter, Adaline, has been denied placement on the heart transplant list because she is unvaccinated for COVID and influenza.… pic.twitter.com/EKrUzlgGkz

— Children’s Health Defense (@ChildrensHD) February 4, 2025

Medical professionals generally recommend vaccinations for transplant patients due to their heightened vulnerability to infections.

Dr. Camille Kotton, clinical director of transplant and immunocompromised host infectious diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital, explained that patients like Adaline face a greater risk of severe illness if infected with COVID-19.

“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 this, Adaline’s mother remains firm in her decision.

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

A spokesperson for Cincinnati Children’s Hospital declined to confirm whether Adaline was denied placement on the transplant list.

However, spokesperson Bo McMillan told The Enquirer that the hospital’s medical decisions are “guided by science research and best practices” and that their protocols align with recommendations from the National Institutes of Health.

“We tailor care plans to each patient in collaboration with their family to ensure the safest, most effective treatment,” McMillan said.

Adaline’s parents are now looking for another transplant center that does not require vaccinations.

Meanwhile, a GoFundMe campaign set up to assist with the transplant process has raised over $51,000 as of Wednesday morning.

The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LifeZette. Contact us for guidelines on submitting your own commentary.