THE parents of a 'true heart warrior' who underwent open heart surgery at just two weeks old to save his life are fundraising for the charity which supported them.

Tamra Lewis and Josh Peirson, who live in Malton, are taking part in the Children's Heart Surgery Fund (CHSF) Superhero Walk 2024 to thank them for the care their received following the birth of their son Finley.

Two-year-old Finley was safely born in July 2022. However, just six hours after the birth his oxygen levels dropped and he was rushed to Scarborough Hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit ( SCBU) where he was given two weeks of antibiotics.

Tamra said: "On Monday, August 1 we thought we would finally be coming home. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

"At 5am we received a call that Finley had massively deteriorated due to lack of breathing and had been put in an incubator. They were completely puzzled as his infection markers had dropped, so multiple doctors had to completely check him over. One doctor was adamant he heard a heart murmur so they called Dr Mac, the Cardiologist.

"Dr. Mac completed an Echogram and believed Finley's heart had not formed properly and may have what's called Hypoplastic Left Heart, so our little two week old boy was blue lighted from Scarborough Hospital to Leeds General Infirmary (LGI).

Finley went straight to the Neonatal Unit , for a detailed echo and once this had been completed, a surgeon was coming to explain to us exactly what was happening with Finley's heart."

Tamra said: "Carin Von Doom, the Congenital Cardiac Surgeon, explained that Finley's heart wasn't unformed but he in fact had what's called Supracardiac Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Drainage which meant the pulmonary veins do not connect normally to the left atrium..

"Carin said he needed open heart surgery ASAP as he had taken two weeks to actually produce the symptoms properly and was rapidly going down hill. It was actually the small duct in his heart, that when your born usually closes, that stayed open and that's how Finley had survived for 14 days before deteriorating."

Tamra added: "We were then told theatre would be within the next couple of days. At this point we were given accommodation at the Brotherton Wing in the Hospital, courtesy of the Children's Heart Surgery Fund. This was a godsend as I had only had surgery myself days ago and was currently in a wheelchair and couldn't walk or drive.

"Finley had his surgery on the Wednesday, the longest eight hours of our lives. Once out of surgery he received around the clock care, slowly being able to breathe without so much help from the breathing tube. Because of the amazing care he received, Finley finally got to go home on the following Thursday as a total of 24 days in the Hospitals."

All was going steady until April 2023 when Finley had one of his regular heart check-ups and his Cardiac Consultant, Fiona Wilcoxson, found that he had a Cor Tritriatum and a Coarctation of the Arota and that he would, again, have to have open heart surgery.

Tamra said: "Seven months later, Dr. Paella, who helped Carin the first time round, got Finley a slot in Theatre to patch his Aorta and remove his membrane on his heart.

"Another six long hours of waiting, and Finley was back in PICU. Now Palella thought surgery would be longer due to other complications but the surgery was a major success and Finley got home just in time for Christmas."

"Finley is finally thriving and has six monthly check-ups now. Thanks to all the team at LGI our little boy is now a toddler and a true heart warrior."

The Superhero Walk 2024 takes place on September 8 at Headingley Stadium. Leeds.

To sponsor Finley and his family go to https://www.justgiving.com/page/finley-superhero-walk