Gym-loving James is on a roll after heart battle
The unstoppable two- year- old has amazed his family by taking up gymnastics after spending much of his life in hospital.
When the lad was just 12 hours old, it was discovered he had a large hole in his heart and doctors couldn’t understand how he was still alive.
Now, he’s a healthy and happy wee boy who has delighted his mum and dad Liam with his boundless energy.
So much so, they have signed him up to take part in numerous other sports, including football and swimming.
Delighted mum Jennifer, 39, said: “James is doing really well.
“He’s a normal wee boy and is never happier than when he’s got a ball.
“He loves to climb things and tumble. “He loves to be busy. “One day I turned round and he was up on the living room window waving at people.”
It’s easy to see what Liam and Jennifer mean.
As they chat away, the bright wee spark runs around the living room of the family home in Markinch, Fife, playing with his sisters Mia, 11, and eight-year-old Grace.
It’s all a far cry from how his life started, born by emergency C- section at Kirkcaldy’s Victoria Hospital.
Jennifer, who works as an occupational therapist, said James was overly sleepy that first day and did not feed well.
Doctors tested his blood and discovered that his oxygen levels were dangerously low.
He was taken to the special care baby unit before being transferred to the Roy a l Ho s p i t a l for Children in Glasgow.
There, doctors discovered the full extent of his health problems.
It was a horrible time for Liam, 40, and Jennifer, who was still in hospital in Kirkcaldy recovering from the birth.
She said: “It was awful being separated f r om him.”
James then spent most of the
Two-year-old James Baillie loves to tumble around at home. Right, with mum Jennifer.
The charity has already funded more than £9 million of enhanced equipment and services at the hospital, aiming to support all youngsters treated there.
And James will continue to benefit from the charity’s achievements as he will need more surgery as he gets older, including another open- heart operation next year.
However, for now doctors and nurses are happy with how he’s progressing.
Jennifer said: “It’s been an amazing effort from the team at the hospital.
“From a health perspective, James is doing well.
“To see him kicking a ball and going to gymnastics is j ust amazing.
“We are so thankful.”