Hallmark Channel Press Release

This holiday season, Hallmark Channel is featuring global health care leader Abbott in “The More the Merrier,” a new original movie filled with festive cheer that showcases a heartfelt community.

Set in a small, rural hospital, the story follows Dr. Alice (Rachel Boston) and Dr. Brian (Brendan Penny), who find themselves, along with other hospital visitors and staff, snowed in on Christmas Eve. While the hospital is under an unexpected baby boom, a 14-year-old heart patient named David – and his surprising celebrity friend – bring unexpected joy and connection to the hospital staff and fellow patients.

In a Hallmark movie first, “The More the Merrier” includes real-life individuals who have overcome serious health challenges. Five children and teens from Abbott’s HeartMates community – a supportive community for those impacted by heart conditions – make special cameos in the film.

HeartMates creates a team-like community where people who are navigating or who have overcome heart health challenges can share stories, share support and celebrate wins. With over 100 million Americans impacted by heart conditions, the HeartMates team was created to combat the isolation and loneliness that often accompany these struggles.

One of the film’s characters, a teenager named David, draws inspiration from a real Abbott HeartMates teammate named Zeke Mankins from Dallas. Zeke, who is now 17, underwent open-heart surgery at the age of 12 to receive an Abbott Masters mechanical heart valve to repair his leaky heart valve.

Making his second appearance in a 2025 Hallmark holiday movie is professional football player Damar Hamlin, who serves as an ambassador for Abbott’s HeartMates community. Damar joins the five Abbott HeartMates featured in the film during a scene filmed in Orchard Park. Through his involvement in Abbott’s HeartMates community, Damar has met the HeartMates in the film and formed close personal bonds with several, including Zeke, and their families. 

Other HeartMates making a surprise appearance in the film include:

•MacKenzie Maddry (Bella Vista, Arizona) is a 19-year-old who was diagnosed with bone cancer at age 14 and underwent 21 cycles of chemotherapy leading to heart failure. She received an Abbott heart pump before she had a recent heart transplant. 

•Jaden Hartley (Chicago) is a 16-year-old who went into heart failure at age 14. Jaden also received an Abbott heart pump before he received a heart transplant.

•Tony Daly (Las Vegas, treated in Los Angeles) is a 10-year-old who was just over 26 weeks when he was born. Doctors discovered a hole in his heart and he became the first person in the world to receive a lifesaving procedure with Abbott’s Amplatzer Piccolo Occluder to close the hole.

•Rian Krauth (Minneapolis) is a 9-year-old who was born at 26 weeks. When she was 2, she was treated with an Abbott Amplatzer Septal Occluder to close a hole in her heart.

“The More the Merrier” is more than a holiday movie; it’s a celebration of a community coming together to support one another through unexpected turns – which is exactly what the Abbott HeartMates program is all about.

Tune into Hallmark’s “Countdown to Christmas” lineup announcement to learn when this film will air. To see additional updates about this film, learn more about the Abbott HeartMates community, and join the team visit www.Abbott.com/HeartMates.

Movie description

Alice (Rachel Boston), an emergency room doctor at a small, rural hospital, always volunteers to work the Christmas Eve overnight shift and goes the extra mile to make the holiday merry and bright for patients and staff. When the hospital gets snowed in, Alice and Brian (Brendan Penny), the newly hired, top-rated cardiologist, find themselves in the middle of a bona fide baby boom when three women – including the only OBGYN for miles around – go into labor on the rarest birthday of the year. As they team up to bring these bundles of joy into the world as the night wears on, Alice, Brian and the rest of the staff also work hard to make the holiday feel festive for all the patients. Though they may have different approaches to medicine – and to life – there’s a spark between them and by the end of their shift it’s clear that this may be the Christmas Even that changes them both forever.

HeartMates families watch as Damar Hamlin films a scene for the Hallmark Channel’s “Countdown to Christmas” production of “The More the Merrier.”

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More about Abbott HeartMates: Global health care company Abbott created the HeartMates community to provide support to people impacted by cardiovascular conditions including families, caregivers, friends and medical support teams. Experiencing a major heart-related incident can cause emotional distress and be an incredibly isolating experience and heart disease is overwhelmingly prevalent, impacting over 100 million Americans and nearly half of U.S. adults according to the AHA. That’s why Abbott created the community to provide a space that enables participants to share stories and receive emotional support from people who have experienced their own heart health challenges. Abbott works with various HeartMate ambassadors, including Damar, who shares his personal experience to inspire the world of what you can do with the right support team behind you. Visit www.Abbott.com/HeartMates to learn more about and join the community.

More about Abbott: Abbott is a global health care leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Its portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of health care, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Its 114,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

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