Abbott is bringing real-life heart patients to the Hallmark Channel this holiday season, featuring young survivors in The More the Merrier alongside NFL player Damar Hamlin.
The movie, premiering on November 28, marks Hallmark’s first collaboration with a healthcare company and its first film to include cameos from people who’ve overcome cardiovascular challenges.
Set in a small-town hospital on Christmas Eve, the film follows two doctors as they navigate a baby boom and a snowstorm. The story includes a 14-year-old heart patient character inspired by Abbott HeartMates member Zeke Mankins, who has befriended Hamlin through the program.
“Our HeartMates program was created to provide a community for people impacted by heart health challenges and to demonstrate that health struggles don’t have to define anyone,” said Melissa Brotz, senior vice president at Abbott. “We are delighted to partner with the Hallmark Channel this holiday season to highlight some of the inspirational stories of real people in our HeartMates community.”
Mankins, 18, of Dallas, will make a cameo appearance in the movie. He underwent open-heart surgery at age 12 to repair a leaking mitral valve, according to the news release.
In addition to Mankins, the healthcare company announced that four other young HeartMates members will appear in the film. They include Tony Daly, 10, who received the world’s first Abbott Amplatzer Piccolo Occluder as a premature baby, and MacKenzie Maddry, 19, who survived both bone cancer and heart failure.
Also appearing are Jaden Hartley, 16, who received a heart transplant after experiencing sudden heart failure at age 14 while on vacation with his family, and Rian Krauth, 9, who was treated at age 2 for a hole in her heart that caused blood to flow in the wrong direction.
“Going through a heart health event can be isolating, but having people around you who know what you’ve been through can make all the difference,” Hamlin said in a news release. “That’s why I teamed up with Abbott to be an ambassador for their HeartMates program and build a community of support.”
Hamlin experienced his own heart health event in January 2023, when he suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed on the football field after making a tackle. He has since recovered and returned to professional football.
Abbott’s medical experts consulted on the script to ensure accuracy. The integration represents a new approach for both companies in reaching audiences affected by heart disease, which impacts 128 million American adults.
The film will air at 8 p.m. EST/PST on the Hallmark Channel and stream the following day on Hallmark+.
Abbott created the HeartMates community in 2023 to support patients, families, and caregivers facing heart health challenges.