Four years later Mayo clinic diagnosis Girl with Scleroderma but too late for her heart for which she gets a transplant on valentines day.

ROCHESTER, MN -- Janae McCormick is 14-years-old and still a teenager. Four years ago McCormick began developing marks on her hand. That's when her parents took her to the University of Colorado, where the family is originally from.

"After many biopsies and blood work and everything and 4 years, they still weren't able to determine what it was that Janae had," said Phyl McCormick, Janae's mother.

The McCormick's then asked for a referral to the Mayo Clinic.

After 3 days Janae was diagnosed with systemic scleroderma, which is the hardening of the skin and connective tissues, externally and internally.

"This is an adult disease so that was why it was very difficult to diagnose on her because they have not known that many children would even have this disease," said Phyl McCormick. "In fact she's the youngest person to have it so far," added David McCormick, Janae's father.

The Mayo Clinic is just one of two places in the country to have a light box that could treat Janae's disease. The McCormick's decided to come to Rochester and left their home in Colorado and moved here to help their daughter.

After a lot of treatment, doctor visits, and therapy, the McCormick's found out that Janae's disease had reached her heart.

"Her heart was not able to pump the blood into her lungs. So, which in turn, made her heart enlarged 2 to 3 times it's own size. Then we're told that Janae would have to have a heart transplant," said Phyl McCormick.

That heart came as the ultimate Valentine's Day gift. A new heart to replace the old heart.

The McCormick's, despite their hardships, are thankful for their gift.

"If it wasn't for the decision of the family to make this decision of donating the heart. Janae possibly wouldn't have had a heart yet or maybe even later, being the rarity of the size of the heart that she needed. We just want to say thank you."