Family pay tribute to hospital staff over daughter's life-saving treatment

Ruby Varley, pictured with mum Natalie and brother Ethan.

Ruby, of Kippax, is currently recovering from her third life-saving surgery at the Leeds unit after she was born with a rare heart defect.

She was just three days old when specialists discovered she had a hole in her heart and a blocked artery.

Her first surgery was performed at four weeks old and a second when she was aged 16 months.

And just before Christmas, the unit’s surgeons operated once more on the now ten-year-old, to replace the pulmonary artery which she has outgrown.

Mum Natalie, 41, said: “It was difficult this time with her being older.

“She obviously had a new scar and lots of drains coming out, lots of wires everywhere. It was hard to see her struggle. Hard when she asked why I have let them do this to her. But she needed this surgery to prolong her life.”

Natalie said the support provided by the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund has been invaluable.

“We didn’t have parental accommodation nine years ago. This time, we got the key while she was in ICU and they said ‘here’s the key, take it, have it for as long as she’s here’. It was incredible.

“We had a kitchen fully kitted out, even a Christmas tree. It was so nice.

“It helped because now Ruby’s older, she was asking for us a lot. When she was coming around in ICU, the staff rang us to say she’s asking for you. And we could get ready and go and be there in a minute.

"We didn’t have to factor in coming back and finding parking. We didn’t have that worry.”

Through the charity, the Varley family have met others going through similar heart journeys in their local area, creating a support network for them all.

“We’ve all said the Heart Surgery Fund has just been a life-saver for us,” she said.

“Until you are actually living it, you never truly appreciate what a charity like this does for families. It’s incredible. Children with poorly hearts can look so healthy but they do suffer a lot. It’s a traumatic experience for them and for families.

“However big or small the donation is, it goes such a long way.”