A LISKEARD mum whose son has been through multiple surgeries is setting up a support group for other parents.

Charlotte Aldridge was 18 and pregnant with her first child Jayden when her 20-week scan revealed that he had Transposition of the Great Arteries (TGA) – a condition which means that the arteries carrying blood away from the heart are in the wrong position. Charlotte was told that Jayden would need surgery just a few days after birth.

“I was just terrified when I was told,” said Charlotte, now 26.

“I really hoped he was fine but when we were scanned again with the consultants watching on a screen from Bristol they found not just the TGA but other problems, too.”

Induced at 37 weeks, and following a difficult labour and delivery, Jayden was whisked away after spending just moments with Charlotte. At five days old and again at eight days he underwent surgery. Now aged eight, he’s had surgery a further 11 times, and is in hospital for a couple of weeks each time.

“It has been a tough road,” said Charlotte. “My mum came into the scan with me and was there for me through it. She and Jay are inseparable, very close.”

The youngster, who attends Liskeard Hillfort School, is active and healthy – he likes to write stories, and play with his Harry Potter toys. He’s doing well at the moment, but with various conditions including a hole in the heart and narrowing of the sub pulmonary ventricle, he may need further surgery in future.

“It depends on Jayden and how he grows. He has had one of his heart valves replaced, and the other one may start to have a similar problem. We’ll just have to see how he gets on.”

Charlotte says that when Jayden was first born and for some years afterwards, there was no dedicated support group for families of children with serious heart conditions.

In 2018, the charity Heart Heroes was founded for this purpose – and it is now setting up new hubs, one in Truro, and one in Newton Abbot.

With the easing of Covid restrictions, Heart Heroes is looking forward to face-to-face meetings for the first time in months. And Charlotte, who’ll be the Cornwall coordinator for the charity, is excited about what lies ahead.

“I just want to get everyone together and get the Heart Heroes name out there, so that families know there’s something there for them,” she said.

“It’ll be coffee mornings at first and then we hope to have days out, and a Christmas party. We’ve got a storage container that is starting to get filled up with toys. Books, colouring packs and things for older children would be very welcome.”

Heart Heroes is also keen to hear from anyone interested in becoming a sponsor for the new hub.

“Heart Heroes supports families of children living with heart conditions and our goal is for children and their siblings to be included in all our events, along with parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles and any other close family,” said charity founder Kelly Cornish. “Our meet-ups are a great chance for parents and families to get together and share experiences and support one another.”

The first of the Cornwall monthly get-togethers will be on Monday, May 24, at Turners Hall Scout Hut, Truro, from 10am to midday.

For more information about the Heart Heroes Hub in Cornwall email [email protected] For more about the work of Heart Heroes, visit https://heartheroes.co.uk/.