About 40,000 babies with heart defects are born each year. And one little girl is celebrating Heart Month with a special anniversary. 

Jill Peterson, of Leon, Kansas, was still pregnant when she and her husband learned their daughter, Liby, had a heart defect. Her heart's main valve, known as the aortic, wasn't working. 

"We were scared about what was going to happen, whether we were going to bring home a baby girl or not," Jill said. "We were prepared to not bring home anyone, and that was hard." 

Doctors told the Petersons if Liby survived, she'd need surgery right after birth and then a heart transplant. 

"We knew she was going to be around because she's a fighter and she's going to win this battle because she's a fighter" 

Congenital heart defects are the most common type of birth defects. The CDC reports that of the nearly 40-thousand babies born with heart defects each year, about 25 percent of them need surgery in their first year of life.

Liby was born on November 9, 2016. As expected, doctors did surgery to get her through until they could find a heart for her tiny body. 

The family moved to St. Louis to wait. Liby was on special medication and had to be in the hospital constantly. Then as Heart Month came to an end last February, the family's prayers were answered. 

"She came in and said, 'Your order came in.' I said, 'No.' She said 'Yes, Jill, it came in.'" 

Twelve hours later, Liby had a new heart and a new lease on life. Today, she's a happy, healthy 1-year-old. But she will have to take daily medication for the rest of her life. 

Not a lot is known about the donor, but Liby's mom believes the two will always have something in common:  the heart of a fighter. 

The American Heart Association's "Heart Ball" is Saturday night. All the funds raised will go to help research.