“Hello, my name is Joseph, and I am a cardiac child.
“I was born with my heart condition and what has really helped me throughout my cardiac journey is music.
“At the age of five, I joined Wakefield Cathedral choir – most of the time just staring at the ceiling and wondering what was going on. But as I got older, I started to enjoy it and that’s when I started singing.
“At the age of six, I went on tour for a week with the choir. Most recently, we went to Norwich and I got to sing at The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and Norwich Cathedral.
“At my school Christmas concert, I sang “We’re Walking in the Air” from The Snowman. Just before my voice dropped, I joined the Wakefield Cathedral Youth Choir where I sing alto.
“Because of choir, I’ve had the chance to sing in beautiful places, meet brilliant people and make lifelong friends – but I’m not just a fan of classical music. Along with Mozart and Beethoven, I enjoy singing indie rock and pop. Bands such as Lovejoy and artists like James Marriott.
“But as I am a cardiac child, I do spend a lot of time in hospital, and that means one thing – packing the old hospital bag. Usually I go for comfortable clothes, things I don’t mind getting dirty.
“Along with clothes, I will pack my headphones and a phone charger, just so I don’t have to listen to the constant beeping of the heart rate monitor across the hallway. I also pack a teddy bear. It may sound childish, but I think we all find comfort in a childhood companion – especially in a place like a hospital.
“Of course, if you forget anything at home, just ask your parent or guardian to fetch something for you.
“And that’s it from me! Enjoy the rest of your day! (That’s the end of that)
“Yours, Joseph”
Lucy, CHSF Family & Youth Support Worker said: “I have been supporting Joseph and his family for over a year.
“Everything from Lego building to working through his transition booklet, to making sure he could still have the Euro’s experience when his summer holiday got cancelled last year, due to him being in hospital with an infection.
“I have built a relationship with Joseph and his family to ensure they feel supported both in and out of hospital. Joseph came along to the Youth Day in August and is keen to be an ambassador for CHSF!”
Find out more about CHSF’s support for Teens and Young People over on our Youth Hub page
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