Louie’s heart condition was detected at mum, Rebekkah’s, 20 week scan.
Louie would need life-saving surgery at Leeds after he was born and CHSF were there to ease the family’s experience, providing vital assistance and comfort throughout Louie’s treatment and recovery.
Louie’s mum, Rebekkah, said:
I remember finding out at 20 weeks pregnant that Louie had a heart condition and I felt like my whole world fell apart.
The weeks leading up to his birth were very traumatic. We suffered from PPROM at 26 weeks, and Louie was born at the LGI at 33+6 weeks.
Preterm premature rupture of the membranes (PPROM) is a pregnancy complication. In this condition, the sac (amniotic membrane) surrounding the baby breaks (ruptures) before week 37 of pregnancy. Once the sac breaks, you have an increased risk of infection.
Louie was born with a heart condition called Coarctation of the aorta.
From then on, all the teams made us feel so at ease. Louie had to grow quite a lot until he could have his surgery, and it took 9 weeks before he was ready.
Children’s Heart Surgery Fund were amazing with us from day one! They visited us, did welfare checks, made sure we had everything we needed. They made sure that not only Louie was ok, but us as parents and our other two children at home were ok too.
“CHSF were amazing from day one! They made sure that not only Louie was ok, but us as parents and our other two children at home were ok too.”
CHSF also provided us with food vouchers and helped with cost of fuel as well as helping with accommodation when we had nowhere to stay, as we were miles away from home.
Louie had his operation and recovered amazingly; he actually came home 6 days post op!
He is now a bubbly, bright little boy with so much energy and is just lots of fun to be around. We are so thankful to CHSF for all they did and continue to do for us!
CHSF are still so supportive now and made the whole experience that little bit easier for us.
13 babies are born every day in the UK with a heart defect, making CHD the most common birth defect.
In our region alone, Children’s Heart Surgery Fund is there for over 17,000 babies, children and adults like Louie every year, who are living with a heart defect. We’re there to support their families too!
Help us to raise vital funds this #HeartMonth, by making a donation to our essential and life-saving work. Thank you.
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