Danielle is a first for Ty Hafan as she becomes a proud mum
WHEN Danielle Morgan was born, doctors didn’t think she would live beyond her first birthday, let alone grow up and start her own family.
But 27 years later, Danielle has defied all expectations and given birth to a healthy and beautiful baby boy called Frankie, despite living with her own life-limiting condition.
At just six weeks old, Danielle, who lives in Port Talbot, was rushed into surgery for a major heart operation to save her life. Her family were told to prepare for the worst.
But Danielle recovered and after more than 10 years of treatment at children’s hospice Tŷ Hafan she was well enough to live a “normal” life. She remains dependent on routine medication at specific times of the day to keep her heart condition as stable as possible.
Becoming pregnant was a “miracle milestone”, the new mum said.
“Falling pregnant really did feel like a miracle milestone for me,” Danielle said. “It was something that I was never 100% certain would be able to happen with my condition.
“I didn’t think my body would be able to cope and my heart would be strong enough.”
Doctors were initially sceptical, said Danielle, but once she “put her foot down”, they got behind her.
She said: “When I found out I was pregnant, I knew I could do it and I wanted to. My family were ecstatic at the news straight away.
“It was such a scary time, but nurses and doctors monitored me very closely throughout the pregnancy and thankfully there were no major issues that made it that different to anyone else’s.”
The birth itself was far from straightforward, as Danielle went into spontaneous labour at 35 weeks. In a turn of events that was unrelated to her heart condition, Frankie was delivered by an emergency caesarean section.
Initially, Danielle was fearful she may have passed on her condition, but Frankie, who is now six months old, has passed all of his own cardiac tests with flying colours. When he is older, he will learn that his mum is the first-ever life-limited service user at Tŷ Hafan to become a mum.
Danielle, who turned 28 in February, still relies on her partner, Kane, to support her, not just physically but also mentally.
The proud mum said: “It is particularly tiring for me. I still have to be careful in day-to-day life because I get out breath very easily; even just walking to the car from my house can be a challenge some days. But I wouldn’t change it for the world.
“Kane is also severely deaf and needs an operation to help improve his hearing, so we’ve really learnt to help each other overcome new challenges together.
“Once Frankie is a little older and I’m able to be away from him for a while, I’m due to go through some major heart surgery to help my condition. If all goes well, it could be life-changing and could improve my condition significantly.”
At the moment, she has a significant leak in one of the heart valves, meaning one side is pumping overtime to compensate.
At seven Danielle, who was born with transposition of the greater arteries, was among the first children through the doors of Tŷ Hafan, in Sully, Vale of Glamorgan, when it opened in 1998.
But Tŷ Hafan says Danielle is the first of those to become a parent and says she is an “inspiration” to others. The charity is supported by Gavin & Stacey star Ruth Jones, who appeared on Who Wants to be a Millionaire? this year to raise money for the hospice.
“It’s an incredible moment when a young person reaches 18 and graduates from our services, let alone going on to have a healthy baby,” said Lynne Phelps, the charity’s play and therapies lead.
“We can’t help but feel so proud of Danielle. We feel so humbled that we were able to support her at such a pivotal, and, at times, quite uncertain time in her life.”