The Iroquois Steeplechase Announces Child Ambassador for 2020 Race Meet

Nadia Dabit to serve as the child ambassador for the 2020 Iroquois Steeplechase

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Iroquois Steeplechase sponsored by Bank of America, benefiting Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt is pleased to announce the child ambassador of the 2020 Iroquois Steeplechase, Nadia Dabit. The Iroquois Steeplechase and Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt have chosen Nadia to represent patients in Middle Tennessee and beyond, conveying a message of triumph and positivity at this year’s race meet.   

“The tradition of choosing a child ambassador is a preeminent decision of the race committee and Children’s Hospital,” said Dwight Hall, chairman of the Iroquois Steeplechase Race Committee. “Nadia is the ideal ambassador for the 2020 Iroquois Steeplechase because of her victorious battle over her heart condition. Nadia is a champion of Children’s Hospital and her story deserves to be celebrated.”

Nadia was born with a congenital heart defect where the right ventricle of her heart was smaller than her left. Essentially born with half of a heart, she required three open-heart surgeries at Children’s Hospital before the age of three. Her parents had the tough decision of waiting to see if she would get better or proceeding with an extremely complicated implantation of a device that would sustain her heart until a donor heart became available. 

As a result of having Children’s Hospital’s expert surgical team, Nadia pulled through the procedure. After five months of living in the hospital with the support of her device, the Dabit family received the news that a donor heart match was found, giving her a new chance of life. Nadia is now a happy, healthy girl who loves spending time with her family. In her spare time, she volunteers to support other children with congenital heart defects.

 “The race is a few days after my 10th birthday, and I am very excited to be representing the patients at Children’s Hospital by being the child ambassador,” said Nadia. “I am so very excited to see the horses.”

To help more patients like Nadia beat the odds, please visit Give.VanderbiltHealth.org/steeplechase to donate today.