Buffalo girl subject of award-winning documentary

Maddy Fleischacker, of Buffalo, was six years old when she learned that her heart was failing and would need a new one. The life-changing news led Maddy, along with her family, down a remarkable journey of perseverance, friendship, and renewal.   

Maddy’s story began when her mother Miguella noticed a persistent cough in the fall of 2021. “It all started with the cough that was continuous, we’d put her on antibiotics, and she would get it back. There was pneumonia after pneumonia, then her lips would start to turn purple, and you’d see her slowing down. It was an internal feeling as a mom that something was really wrong.”

That cough would eventually lead to a Restrictive Cardiomyopathy diagnosis in January 2022, a condition that makes it difficult for the heart to pump blood and function properly. After testing at Mayo Clinic on April 9, Maddy was transferred and admitted to Children’s Minnesota on April 19, 2022, spending the next five months at Children’s Minnesota in Minneapolis while she waited to receive a donor heart for transplant. Maddy underwent heart transplant surgery in August 2022.

At the hospital, the Fleischackers met Christopher Phillips who was employed by Children’s Minnesota at the time, working to create short videos of the life-saving work being done by the doctors and medical staff. Phillips had been waiting for an opportunity to dive deeper into the lives and journeys of the families who came through the doors of Children’s Minnesota. When the opportunity presented itself after meeting the Fleishcackers, Phillips pitched his idea for a documentary to Children’s Minnesota administration, after some initial hesitation by leadership, he was ultimately allowed to film independently. 

The 2024 documentary, “Heart Sisters,” follows the story of Maddy, along with Rinken Braun, of Brookings, South Dakota, during their stays at Children’s Minnesota. While at Children’s Minnesota, the girls formed a close bond, sharing a lived experience and supporting each other through something that many children and families don’t experience. 

The documentary provides viewers the opportunity to glimpse into the lives of these brave girls and see first-hand the unconditional love and support of their families as they go through this trying experience together. 

Along with highlighting love and support, the film also acknowledges the difficulty and sometimes painful guilt felt by parents as they grapple with the idea that for their child to live, it means that someone else’s child cannot. 

Director Phillips also takes viewers on an educational journey into the process and workings of heart transplants, interviewing doctors and staff who performed the procedures for both Maddy and Rinken. The documentary highlights the ongoing need for organ donor registration, stating that an average of 17 people die each day while waiting for organ transplant. 

Free private screenings of “Heart Sisters” were held at the St. Michael Cinema from April 11-13, followed by Q&A sessions with Maddy, Miguella, and Director Phillips.   

Miguella shared that Maddy is doing well and doesn’t have any particular restrictions regarding her activity level. “She needs a little more time for the heart to warm up and cool down with exercising and stuff like that. It’s about taking care and listening to her body. Now, her heart is way stronger, and she’s living life to the fullest. She’s got great spunk at nine years old.” Maddy stays active with involvement in Girl Scouts, and Miguella stated that her daughter loves to dance. “We can count a million blessings in this whole situation.”

Working towards greater distribution

Director Phillips shared that he has encountered roadblocks regarding ownership of the intellectual property rights of “Heart Sisters.” Upon completion of the film, Children’s Minnesota claimed intellectual property rights over some of the raw footage due in part to Phillip’s employment at the hospital when he shot the film. Children’s Minnesota required Phillips to sign a licensing agreement restricting the distribution of “Heart Sisters” outside of film festivals and private showings, limiting his ability to show the film to a wider audience. Phillips stated that his position with Children’s Minnesota was eliminated two days after he signed the intellectual property rights agreement. In an email to the Journal-Press, Christopher Phillips provided the following statement:

“Children’s Minnesota is an amazing organization with thousands of dedicated professionals working day in and day out to improve, and save, the lives of children. I know because I worked alongside them for six years, and I created “Heart Sisters” as a way to tell, in-depth, just one of the many incredible stories that happen at Children’s Minnesota every day, thanks to the incredible staff working there. At the end of the day, I just want the public to be able to see “Heart Sisters” and, with its message of encouraging organ donation, this film will save lives with increased distribution. However, Children’s Minnesota is blocking that opportunity and has refused to provide an explanation as to why.”

Local efforts are being made to support Phillips’ goal of reaching a wider audience and broader distribution. “A number of community members who have seen “Heart Sisters” have been motivated to convince Children’s Minnesota to allow me to distribute the film more widely. They are posting on social media and starting to use the hashtag #FreeHeartSisters.”

The official “Heart Sisters” trailer is available on YouTube and Vimeo.

Accolades for “Heart Sisters”

•WINNER – People’s Choice Award -- 2025 Frozen River Festival (Winona, MN).

•WINNER – Best International Feature Documentary -- 2024 Docuworld Film Festival (London, UK).

•WINNER – Best Feature Documentary -- 2024 Interrobang Film Festival (Des Moines, IA).

•NOMINEE – Best Feature Documentary -- 2024 Madison Film Festival (Madison, WI).

•FINALIST – Best Documentary Award -- 2024 DOC L.A. Film Festival (Los Angeles, CA).

•FINALIST – Best Documentary Feature -- 2024 DeadCenter Film Festival (Oklahoma City, OK).

•SEMI-FINALIST – Best Feature Documentary Film -- 2024 Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival (Providence, RI).

•SPECIAL SELECTION – 2025 Hello From Fargo Film Festival (Fargo, ND).