Elizabeth Kapovich remembers the exact moment she knew everything was going to be OK.
She was walking down a hospital hallway, just hours after undergoing a minimally invasive heart valve procedure, when the realization hit her. She was moving comfortably. She was breathing easily. The effort she had grown used to was suddenly gone.
“I was walking and breathing at the same time without any effort,” said Kapovich, 83, of Hometown. “That’s when I realized I was going to be OK.”
As February marks National Heart Month, Kapovich is starting 2026 with renewed energy and a deep sense of gratitude after a transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or TAVR, restored her breath and transformed her daily life. The procedure not only treated a life-threatening heart condition, but also deepened the bond between Kapovich and her son in a way neither expected.
Kapovich’s heart condition was discovered a few years ago after she sought treatment for RSV. During her hospital stay, doctors noticed she was struggling with shortness of breath that seemed disproportionate to the illness.
“I was out of breath. I was in the hospital for a while, and that kind of set me back,” she said. “That’s when they discovered it. The doctor said, ‘You have a bad valve.’”
Her primary care physician referred her to Dr. Anshuman Das, an interventional and structural cardiologist with the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital. Further testing revealed severe aortic valve stenosis, a condition caused by calcium buildup that narrows the aortic valve and restricts blood flow, forcing the heart to work harder to circulate blood throughout the body.
More than 13 percent of Americans over age 75 develop aortic stenosis, according to medical data. Symptoms often progress gradually and may include fatigue, dizziness and shortness of breath. Without treatment, the condition can become life-threatening.
Kapovich’s symptoms were worsening, and her age made traditional open-heart surgery a higher-risk option. Instead, Das and the hospital’s structural heart team recommended TAVR, a minimally invasive procedure that has reshaped care for patients who were once considered too high-risk for surgery.
Historically, the only option to replace a diseased aortic valve involved open-heart surgery, including a large chest incision, cardiopulmonary bypass and a lengthy recovery that could last months.
“Older patients often have other medical conditions that make open-heart surgery especially difficult, particularly from a recovery standpoint,” Das said. “Some patients may simply be too high risk to even be considered for that type of operation.”
TAVR offers a different approach. Using a small puncture, often through an artery in the hip, physicians guide a catheter to the heart and deploy a new valve inside the diseased one. The procedure typically lasts less than an hour and does not require opening the chest, stopping the heart or using general anesthesia. Many patients are able to return home within one or two days.
“This minimalist strategy has revolutionized how we take care of patients with aortic valve disease,” Das said. “It allows patients to recover faster and return to their normal lives with much less disruption. With a life-threatening condition like severe aortic stenosis, this treatment has been transformative.”
The Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute performs the highest volume of transcatheter and surgical valve procedures in Illinois and has expanded advanced heart care into suburban communities after physicians conducted the state’s first TAVR procedure as part of a clinical trial in 2008 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
“At Northwestern Medicine, our aim is to deliver compassionate, modern, evidence-based care that is convenient and accessible,” Das said. “Our structural heart team is focused on providing a highly personalized experience. We recognize that while this is something we do every day, the experience is deeply personal for the patient. Each patient is someone’s parent, sibling, friend or neighbor.”
That personal connection resonated deeply with Kapovich, especially because her son, Ron Koronkowski, works in cardiovascular device development and has spent part of his career focusing on structural heart technologies similar to the one used in her procedure.
“It doesn’t come close to home that often,” Koronkowski said. “When it did, it sent a chill down my spine. At the same time, I had a high level of confidence that this device was going to do exactly what it was intended to do.”
Conversations with her son before surgery gave Kapovich added reassurance.
“Having this incredible surgery was such a blessing — living in an age where such surgery is even possible, and to be a candidate was overwhelming,” she said. “After talking to my son, whose job is working on certain components of this device, I felt doubly confident.”
The emotional weight of that connection became clear to her after the procedure.
“As a mother, knowing that my child’s work directly affected my life’s longevity fills me with pride,” Kapovich said. “I feel very fortunate to be living in this era. This experience was simply amazing.”
Kapovich noticed improvement almost immediately. By the day after her procedure, she was walking farther and breathing more comfortably. She later completed cardiac rehabilitation, rebuilding her strength and confidence while receiving close support from the care team.
“They’re so helpful at rehab,” she said. “If you need anything, they’re right there. It’s very nice to know you’re supported.”
She was able to enjoy the holidays with her family and entered the new year with more energy and independence than she had felt in years. During National Heart Month, Kapovich hopes her story encourages others, especially older adults, not to dismiss symptoms such as shortness of breath as an inevitable part of aging.
“I wasn’t out of breath anymore,” she said. “That alone has changed everything.”