Heart- sick kids get heroes’ help
LOSING one child to a lifethreatening heart condition is something Townsville mum Tamara McDonald struggled to cope with.
But finding out her second daughter would face a similar battle shattered her.
The Wulguru mother wants people to be aware that congenital heart disease is the leading cause of death in infants under the age of one in Australia.
“We lost Allysha seven years ago to double outlet right ventricle syndrome,” Ms McDonald said. “She was 3 ½ weeks old.”
While pregnant in 2016 with Kaitlyn, Ms McDonald was told her now two- year- old daughter had a similar condition.
“We were shattered to find out that Kaitlyn also had a condition,” she said.
“We haven’t found out if it’s hereditary, we have done some testing but nothing’s come back. We haven’t found out why.”
Kaitlyn was born with hyperplastic left heart syndrome and spent the first five months of her life in hospital.
“She had her first openheart surgery at three days old,” Ms McDonald said.
“And another at 3 ½ months old.”
Kaitlyn will need a third surgery between the ages four and five.
“It’s very, very difficult seeing dressings, drains, wires, everything just coming off her – it’s quite confronting to see that,” Ms McDonald said.
Kaitlyn takes three regular medications a day and is learning to live life as best she can with her permanent condition.
“I guess it just really depends on how well her heart is functioning,” she said. of
“She will have to learn what her limits are and what her body can handle.”
Kaitlyn attends multiple appointments each week including speech therapy as she is unable to eat by mouth.
“She’s got the PEG button in her stomach and is fed via the tube because she just refuses to eat orally,” Ms McDonald said.
“She spent five months in hospital and never got to learn how to eat or suck properly … she also has oral aversion from having a nasal gastric tube for two years.”
Ms McDonald is raising awareness for congenital heart disease and national support charity HeartKids.
“Everybody’s journey is so different, just seek the support and the help that is given to you to be able to help get through it,” Ms McDonald said.
Staff at Rydges Townsville dressed up as superheroes yesterday to raise funds for HeartKids Super Boss Day.
The team raised $ 1000 in two days for HeartKids.