Help us give a little bit back: Shrewsbury family to collect presents for children in hospital
You'd never know it from looking at his cheeky face but little Charlie Marsh has already been through a lot.
As a baby, this toddler spent weeks in hospital and underwent two heart operations.
And as a way to say thank you to the people who cared for him, the 21-month-old and his family are now now collecting Christmas presents for other children who will be at hospital over the festive period.
Liz Marsh, from Shrewsbury, was 23 weeks pregnant when doctors informed her and her partner James, 33, that their baby had a rare heart condition which means he has only got half a heart.
They were told that if they decided to go ahead with the pregnancy, their baby would need three open heart surgeries, and gave him a 50 per cent survival rate through having his first open heart surgery.
Charlie, now 20 months old, went through open heart surgery at four days old and then again at five months old.
Liz, 28, said that he will have to undergo another surgery before he is five, due to his Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.
Liz said: “Charlie’s condition is not curable, it’s palliative.
“He is yet to undergo another open heart surgery but this will be anytime between the age of three and five years depending on how well his heart is coping.
“After that we will never know what the future holds for Charlie. He may need a heart transplant at some point, but we try not to focus on that at the moment and live every day as it comes and to the full.
“On the outside he looks like most other children his age. What’s going on on the inside is a complete different story. His body functions off just a single ventricle for his heart. He is our hero. He makes me and his dad so proud.”
Charlie spent seven weeks in Birmingham Children’s Hospital after his first heart operation and almost two weeks the second time.
Now, his parents are appealing to the public to donate presents for children at the hospital aged from newborn to 16.
Liz added: “Birmingham Children’s Hospital holds a very special place in our hearts and this is why we are trying to give something back.
“I am trying to get people to buy an extra gift this Christmas that can be donated to the hospital to bring a little more magic to those that are spending their Christmas in hospital this year.”
“Trying to make Christmas even more magical for those children who can’t be at home. Being in hospital at any time of the year is difficult let alone at Christmas.
“We’ve had a fantastic response already, people from London and Scotland have been contacting us.”
To donate a present, visit www.facebook.com/bchxmasgiftdrop/
