Heart problems run in my family. I was born with a Coarctation of the descending aorta, my brother was born with a hole in his heart the rest of my siblings had murmurs and now it’s my grandfathers turn. My grandfather is a wonderful old man. He came here with his parents from Poland roughly 60 years ago and opened his own business to support his family and his community. Grandpa has always been strong, always willing to help people in need and goes above and beyond for his family but right now he is the one In need because he has aortic stenosis. Aortic stenosis is a condition where there is a narrowing of the exit in the left ventricle of the heart. This slows or blocks blood from getting where it needs to be and is usually caused by calcium buildup in the valves. It causes the patient to be weak and tired, causes swelling in the legs and can lead to death. The treatment for this condition usually come in the form of a valve replacement. Although a valve replacement is what he’s been needed in order to survive he is and always has been afraid of doctors and complex surgeries. Thankfully, in November 2011, the first ever catheter aortic heart valve called the Sapien by Edwards Lifesciences was created. The Sapien is used to replace the damaged valve and can be inserted into the human body by a small tube. The Sapien is made out of cow tissue, attached to an inflatable balloon and is surrounded by a cobalt-chromium frame for support. This method has makes it possible to treat patients with aortic stenosis without the need for open-heart surgery and greatly reduces the risk that is usually present with valve replacement. It took a lot of research on my part to find out about this surgery and convince my grandfather to talk to his doctor about it but it all worked out because he goes in for his surgery in a couple of weeks. A surgery, that will no doubt, be responsible for saving his life. The creation of this technology, along with the sheer relief and hope from my family about the news has inspired me to one day be the one performing these surgery’s and saving lives. That is why, despite all the other amazing inventions in the last decade, the Sapien is my favorite.