The awesome team at Enterprise Mobility all got behind their colleague Francesca this February to celebrate Wear Red Day.
Francesca’s son Luca was born with congenital heart defects and needed life-saving open heart surgery at just one week old.
Francesca said:
“We found out that something wasn’t quite right when we attended our 12 week scan.
“After an appointment with the fetal medicine and congenital cardiology teams at LGI, we were told that our baby had a ventricular septal defect and coarctation of the aorta and would need open heart surgery shortly after birth.
“When Luca was born, he was taken straight to the neonatal ward at Leeds Children’s Hospital where he was put on medication and monitored closely. He was there diagnosed with a Hypoplastic aortic arch, multiple VSDs and atrial septal defects. At one week old, Luca underwent open heart surgery.
“After eight agonising hours, we received a phone call to say that the surgery had gone well, they had managed to close Luca’s chest. This was amazing news as we were told to plan for it still being open and him needing a second surgery to close it after the swelling of his heart had gone down.
“We were also informed to prepare ourselves to see him for the first time, as he was still on a ventilator and connected to multiple machines. I just remember seeing him and being so grateful that he was still alive.
“Luca spent the following 10 days on PICU, where he had ups and downs.
“He was extubated 2 days post-surgery but was struggling to breath on his own, so he was put on a BiPap machine to help.
What is a BiPap mechine? If you have trouble breathing, a BiPap machine can help push air into your lungs.
“He then moved to the high dependency unit for two nights and finally onto the children’s cardiac ward (L51) where we were able to sleep by his side for the first time since he was born.
“Our little heart warrior also had to have a keyhole procedure in November 2024. He is such a happy boy and thriving, we cannot thank the staff at the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit and CHSF enough for saving our boy!”
Feeling inspired? Want to do your own fundraising for CHSF?
Request your fundraising pack today and find out more about supporting our charity! Our dedicated team are there for you every step of the way.
Freddie
Last year, Freddie was the first child in the UK to undergo the innovative Yasui repair instead of the Fontan. Freddie was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and a large VSD and since 2016 had already overcome multiple heart surgeries. Mum Casey shares...
Sally
Sally's heart defect wasn't identified until after she was born and had open heart surgery at 18 days to correct her CHD. Doctors at the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit stated that without this operation, Sally wouldn't live past 6 months old. Now 21, Sally has already...
Jacob
Born at home in Kippax Leeds, Jacob's heart defect was detected in his first week of life after being admitted to Leeds Children's Hospital when he wasn't feeding well...Jacob's mum, Iona, said: "Jacob was born at home; everything was amazing and there was no sign...