Woman in need of heart transplant gets married

A woman who has a heart condition and needs a transplant almost received her new heart Tuesday, but was cancelled. She and her fiancé moved here from Denver in August to be close to Duke University Hospital. She then planned to throw a wedding for her husband-to-be on Valentine's Day at Wake Co. Courthouse.

Posted 10:13 p.m. Feb 14, 2020 — Updated 1:33 a.m. Feb 15, 2020

Siegee Dowah - WRAL contributor

RALEIGH, N.C. — Heart failure affects over six million Americans in the United States alone. For this Denver, Colo., teacher it has been an emotional adventure and a financial struggle.

Kiele Binsted, 32, was diagnosed with Stage 3 heart failure at the end of May in 2019. Binsted said on her GoFundMe page that due to the illness, she had to leave work and move to North Carolina to get treatment at Duke University.

"This has been an extremely difficult adjustment. Our lives have been changed forever," said Binsted. Her health has been deteriorating over the past three years, and she is heartbroken to have to leave Denver. "I went from kayaking in Frisco to barely being able to walk at that elevation. We loved Denver. We loved our jobs, and we are heartbroken that we had leave ... we made Denver our home," said Binsted.

Binsted also started a blog in 2011 to share her story, when she was diagnosed with Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia (ARVD). She had been "just living and loving life," since then and had planned for a wedding this summer in Charleston, S.C. Because of her heart failure diagnosis, she moved to N.C. to get better treatment but, she also had to cancel the wedding.

However, Binsted has been planning a surprise wedding so her fiance could make medical decisions for her. Despite their financial struggles, Binsted has received a multitude of support from the community after sharing her story on GoFundMe, Facebook, Reddit, NextDoor and her personal blog. "We have never celebrated Valentine's Day, so I thought getting married on this day would give us a reason and be an easy date for us to remember," said Binstead. She managed to get her wedding dress, a photographer, and a band all free of charge.

A woman who has a heart condition and needs a transplant almost received her new heart Tuesday, but was cancelled. She and her fiancé moved here from Denver in August to be close to Duke University Hospital. Anyway, she planned to throw a surprise wedding for her husband-to-be on Valentine's Day at Wake Co. Courthouse.

Binsted had received news that she would receive a new heart on Tuesday, but it was canceled because the heart was not been removed soon enough from the donor. She had become so emotional over the heart Tuesday that she told her husband about the wedding, but her planning was still a heartwarming gesture.

Binsted still awaits a heart transplant. "I'll continue to wait patiently. Onwards and upwards. Love you all for the continued support," said Binstead.

ARVD Heart Failure...Denver to Duke.

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