Six-month-old Forfar baby to get life-saving surgery in Glasgow

A six-month-old baby from Forfar will undergo life-saving surgery after doctors discovered he has two holes in his heart.

Benjamin Evans will travel to Glasgow with his parents Scott and Alice on Monday for the operation on Tuesday.

He was born seven weeks early in June, weighing just one-and-a-half pounds.

Doctors identified that Benjamin had Down’s syndrome prior to his birth.

After several weeks in a hospital incubator, he was allowed to go home.

But after five weeks as a “happy” baby, Benjamin suddenly became ill and was readmitted to hospital where doctors discovered the two holes in his heart.

Alice said: “I have two other children and it will be the first Christmas we haven’t been together.

“I’m dreading being apart from them.

“Benjamin is a ray of sunshine in our lives – one of his gummy smiles and he makes everything better.

“I’m very proud and love him so, so much.”

Benjamin’s half-sister Lisa Rooney, 28, said the family were delighted the operation was happening, but anxious about what lies ahead for him.

She said: “While it’s great news that Benjamin is finally going to receive this potentially life-saving surgery, everyone is very worried about the operation.

“It’s going to be such a big operation for such a tiny baby but we are trying to stay as positive as possible and are really hoping that it will be a success.

“In one way we have been dreading the operation coming around but it is good news that it is now here.”