Pacemaker

Hello. I am a Pacemaker. I am a tiny friend for hearts. My special job is to help hearts keep a steady, happy beat. Thump-thump, thump-thump. Just like a little drum. Sometimes, a heart can get tired or a little mixed up. It might forget its rhythm. That is when I help. I whisper a little reminder to the heart so it can get back to its happy thump-thump song. I love helping hearts feel strong and happy. It is the best job in the world for a tiny friend like me.

A very kind man named Wilson Greatbatch helped me come alive. One day in 1958, he was busy in his workshop. He was building something to listen very closely to heart sounds. He reached into a box for a tiny part, but oops. He picked up the wrong one by mistake. It was a happy oopsie. When he turned his new machine on, it didn't listen for sounds. Instead, it started making a perfect, gentle pulse. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. It sounded just like a healthy, happy heartbeat. Wilson was so surprised and excited. He knew right away that this happy accident could become a special helper for people whose hearts needed a friend to keep them steady.

Wilson worked hard to make me very, very small. He wanted me to be a secret helper that could fit right inside a person's body. In 1960, I helped a person for the very first time. I helped their heart feel strong and steady again. It made me feel so proud. Now, my tiny friends and I help so many people. We help grandmas and grandpas, and moms and dads, live and play and give big hugs to their families. I am so happy to be a tiny helper that makes a big, big difference in the world.