Originally Published: 05 JAN 24 15:24 ET

By Lindsay Stone

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CINCINNATI, Ohio (WLWT) -- Lydia Butler underwent three open-heart surgeries before she turned 4. Today, she's a Xavier University nursing student hoping to one day work at Cincinnati Children's, where she spent months getting care as a child.

“I do remember little things like being in the hospital bed and having those EKG stickers placed on my chest,” Lydia said.

“When I was little, I was diagnosed with a heart condition called Tricuspid atresia,” Lydia said. The congenital heart defect led to 11 surgeries and months in the hospital.

“There were times where obviously I lost a lot of hope, and I'm sure my parents did too,” Lydia said.

“I am grateful that she's here, and we're not going to take that for granted, not even for a second,” Lydia’s mom, Lisa, said.

Despite being born without a fully developed heart, Lydia has chosen to live life to the fullest. From skates on her feet to reigns in her hands, the 18-year-old never lets it hold her back.

“In my dorm, I have a picture on my wall of me in the hospital,” Lydia said. “Anytime I'm feeling unmotivated or stressed, I always look at that photo and am like that's who you're doing it for."

When it came to picking a college major, the Xavier student says the choice was easy.

“Growing up and always being in the hospital, I would see what the nurses did for me, and I was really inspired. I was like, I really want to do that,” Lydia said.

Her dad, Steve, says he doesn’t remember a time Lydia wanted to do anything else. “She can take everything that she's learned and felt and dealt with in her life, and she can pass that on to other people,” Steve said.

Lydia hopes to one day work at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, the very place that helped save her life.

“It feels powerful,” Lydia said. “Like being this little girl in the hospital and not having any control over what was happening to could happen. But now, to possibly work in that same hospital in the future, I can kind of take some of that power back.”

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