Mother's 100km Challenge Raises Awareness for Congenital Heart Disease

Amy Buey, the mother of a baby born with severe pulmonary valve stenosis and two holes in the heart, is taking part in the national 100 Challenge for Tiny Tickers, a charity working to improve early detection and care of babies with serious heart conditions. Her son Harrison's condition went undetected during pregnancy and birth, and he was discharged despite clear symptoms. He was then rushed to emergency treatment three hours away, and Amy credits early testing with pulse oximetry machines for saving his life.

Key Takeaways:

• Congenital heart disease is one of the most common birth defects, affecting almost one in 100 babies born in the UK (Tiny Tickers).
• Amy's son Harrison was born with severe pulmonary valve stenosis and two holes in the heart in 2017, and his condition went undetected during pregnancy and birth.
• If Harrison had been tested when he was born, he would never have been discharged without intervention, and Amy credits early testing with pulse oximetry machines for saving his life.
• Tiny Tickers has placed over 600 pulse oximetry machines at hospitals throughout the UK since 2018 to help detect heart defects in newborns.
• Amy's 100km challenge is raising funds for the charity, which also trains medical professionals to detect heart defects at pregnancy scans and supports families through the toughest times.

Statistics:

• Almost one in 100 babies born in the UK are affected by congenital heart disease (Tiny Tickers).
• Over 600 pulse oximetry machines have been placed at hospitals throughout the UK since 2018 to help detect heart defects in newborns (Tiny Tickers).
• Amy's 100km challenge is raising funds for Tiny Tickers, which aims to improve early detection and care of babies with serious heart conditions.

Sources:

• Tiny Tickers.