Heart Children

Children's Profiles

Molly

The 20 week scan is supposed to be one of the happiest days for a soon to be Mum and Dad. It’s the day you get to see the first glimpses of your unborn child.  For first time parents Becks and John it was the day they found out they were having a girl and the day they found out she had something terribly wrong with her heart. The Doctors told the distraught couple their baby may not survive the pregnancy and if she did her survival after birth was unsure.  The next 20 weeks dragged by and instead of preparing for a newborn coming home Becks and John began preparing themselves for a rather different outcome.

“There were some pretty bad days,” says Becks.  “But every day I could feel my baby move was a good day.  Every scan where we saw her and every heart beat we heard was a good day.  It gave us hope.”

Becks carried her baby to full term, giving birth to a little baby girl they called Molly.  She was immediately taken to the neo natal intensive care unit and at two days old Molly had her first procedure.  During the procedure Molly's heart stopped and she was resuscitated.  “From that day on I knew that Molly was a little fighter,” says Becks.  “She is brave, strong and clever and I tell her this every day.”

Cardiologists were able to confirm what was first suspected at Molly’s 20 week scan; only one half of her heart was functioning.  At five days old, when most new parents were taking their baby home, John and Becks were waiting for news of Molly’s first open heart surgery. It was the longest eight hours of their lives.

Becks remembers seeing Molly after her operation.  “Her chest was left open, she had cords and tubes and drains and needles all over her body. I just wanted to hold her and love her but I couldn’t.”  The day the drains were taken out was a good day for the couple, it was the day they had their first cuddle, the day they took their first family photo.

Days came and went, some good, some bad but finally at six weeks of age the couple were finally able to take their baby home.  However, three months later John and Becks were back this time for Molly’s second open heart surgery.  Thankfully Molly made a quick recovery and one week later they were on their way home.

“Since that second surgery Molly has gained weight and grown so much,” says Becks.  “She has so much more strength and her complexion is more pinkish instead of pale and blue.”

Molly will have more open heart surgery at three years of age and many tests and procedures during her life time.  For Molly, Becks and John living with childhood heart disease will be a life long challenge.  “Molly will always need special attention and so will John and I,” says Becks. “We’re so thankful to Heart Children.  They’ve been there for us since the moment we found out about Molly’s special heart.  I know they will always be a big part of our lives and a big part of Molly’s life as she grows.” 

When you’re living with childhood heart disease the good days really matter.  At Heart Children we’re passionate about providing life long support to heart children, like Molly and their families … through the good days and the bad.  Will you help us?  Make today a good day. Phone 0900 4 HEART for a $20 donation, or donate online now. To find out how else you can help heart children have more good days click here.