Wearing red to save young lives
Thousands of people will wear red tomorrow to raise money for Children’s Heart Surgery Fund (CHSF).
Ripponden mum BobbieJay Johnson is one of the local families pledging to help CHSF support the service which saved her son Caleb’s life.
Caleb, who is now 13, needed 12-hour open heart surgery at just two days old.
He was treated at the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit, the region’s specialist centre for the treatment of cardiac defects, which is within the Leeds Children’s Hospital.
Bobbie-Jay said the diagnosis was given just moments after she gave birth in Halifax.
“A consultant came in, he explained to us that Caleb had transposition of the great arteries, which was not conducive to life,” said Bobbie-Jay.
"My tiny two-day old baby needed a 12-hour operation,” Bobbie-Jay said. “We were told by the consultant that there was a chance of fatality or severe brain damage, yet not consenting would result in his loss."
Bobbie-Jay said after an agonising wait, she was told the surgery had gone well and that she was were able to see him in the intensive care unit.
“After just 12 days they switched off the machine breathing for him to see if he could breathe unaided.
"Seeing his tiny little chest rise was the most wonderful feeling I’ve ever had.
"He’s now 13 years old, healthy, happy and plays for a football team!
"He had a leaky valve for a few years which has now selfhealed.
"I owe my life to those surgeons and wonderful nurses.
"Especially the nurse liaisons, who kept me as sane as possible when I felt like I couldn’t even breathe.”
CHSF support the Leeds
Congenital Heart Unit with life-saving medical equipment and ward facilities, emotional, financial and practical support for affected families and essential staff training and research into the disease.
Their support also covers 19 regional clinics, including one at the Calderdale Royal.
Around one in 125 babies are born with a heart defect in the UK, and over 17,000 patients of all ages are looked after by the region’s congenital cardiac network in a typical year.
Anyone who wants to get involved and donate to CHSF can do so by texting CHSFWRD (plus any amount up to £20) to 70085.