Beating Strong: The Lifelong Impact of Pediatric Cardiology with Drs. Mary Donofrio and Wayne Franklin

Congenital heart disease isn’t just a childhood condition—it’s a lifelong journey. Our host, Nathan Kuppermann, MD, MPH, chief academic officer and chair of Pediatrics, sits down with two world-renowned pediatric cardiology experts to explore how pioneering care at Children’s National Hospital starts as early as the first trimester and continues into adulthood. Wayne Franklin, MD, senior vice president of the Heart Center, and Mary Donofrio, MD, medical director of the Prenatal Cardiology Program, dive into the power of prenatal detection and risk-based birth plans, the promise of advanced fetal imaging and real-time monitoring, and how innovation and artificial intelligence are reshaping care to help kids with congenital heart disease grow into strong adults. Plus, Dr. Donofrio’s tips on the Washington, D.C., dining scene—because great food is part of great medicine.