ULRIKA ON HER KNIGHTED HERO I was told Bo would not survive birth but Dr Shak gave me hope... & she’s 21!
ULRIKA Jonsson has told how a hero heart specialist became her knight in shining armour long before he was made a Sir.
Professor Shakeel Qureshi, who was knighted in the New Year’s Honours, saved her unborn daughter’s life after the TV star was told the baby would die.
The paediatric cardiologist was rewarded for his groundbreaking work at London’s Guy’s Hospital during a career spanning almost 40 years.
And Ulrika, 54, hails him as “an amazing man” who gave her hope after another top medic told her that her unborn daughter Bo, now 21, had no chance of survival.
Since then, Ulrika and Prof Qureshi have become good friends and ‘Shak’ was even a guest at Bo’s christening.
DREADFUL
Ulrika, who used to host hit TV show Gladiators, said: “I’m over the moon about his award. I texted him on Christmas Day to congratulate him.”
Bo is now 21 and studying to be a Norland Nanny – but in 2000, an Oxford cardiologist told Ulrika that a scan showed her second baby had genetic defects that were “incompatible with life”.
“I was in a state of shock,” Ulrika said. “I had a blissful first pregnancy and here I was being given this dreadful news.
“I was already in pieces and this woman was telling me Bo had these dreadful conditions and might die at birth, or not even be born.”
Desperate, Ulrika got a referral to Evelina Children’s Hospital at Guy’s. At the time, it was forging a reputation for pioneering surgery to save babies previously expected to die at birth.
The star said: “When I walked into the room and met Shak, there was a warmth I have never experienced from another doctor.
“He was calm, compassionate and you felt he really cared. He said Bo faced challenges but didn’t have the deadly conditions described by the other doctor. “She had a serious heart defect but he believed she could be treated and reach her teens. I was just grateful to hear my child had a chance of survival.
“Shak has empathy. He put me at ease but also was honest and said Bo would need three operations by the age of five.”
Bo’s heart developed with only three chambers instead of four – a congenital condition known as double inlet left ventricle (DIVL).
She was one of the first children to have surgery for the previously untreatable defect.
Bo still has check-ups once a year but stopped seeing Shak when she turned 18.
Mum-of-four Ulrika said: “Because Bo was such a high risk, I had her at Guy’s. As soon as she was born, she was rushed to paediatric intensive care for her first op.
“Bo adores Shak and looked forward to seeing him as she grew up. Now, she sees an adult cardiologist but misses Shak.
“Bo’s biological father left us when she was two weeks old. When Bo had her second op, I was exhausted. Shak made me have blood tests. I was fine but he was insistent I looked after myself.
“He said without me, Bo wouldn’t survive, no matter what they did for her.
“Shak has made it clear he will always be there for us, which is great.”
Bo said: “I always looked forward to seeing Shak. He’s someone you could completely trust with your life. His knighthood is so well deserved.”
Sir Shakeel, 68, has saved many children with non-invasive surgery using tubes and wires to correct heart defects. He said: “Bo was one of our early successes. She still needs medication and regular checkups as the flow of blood in her heart is not as fast as a person with four chambers.
“We warned her mum she might need a transplant as an adult. She and Ulrika have helped with fundraising.”
Sir Shakeel, the son of a Yorkshire steel worker, should have retired eight years ago but plays such a key role at Guy’s that the hospital hasn’t been able to replace him.
“They told me I couldn’t quit,” he said. “But I love the job and will carry on for as long as I can.”