By Deanne Jeffers
TRAGEDY struck Katherine and Elliott Byrne in 2018 when they lost their three-month-old son Elijah to congenital heart disease. This experience, unfortunately, is more common than many realise. Heart disease is the most prevalent birth defect in Australia, affecting roughly one in 100 newborns.
The Byrnes faced another challenge when their son Theodore was diagnosed with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), a type of hole in the heart. Thankfully, Theodore underwent successful open-heart surgery before Christmas last year, and Katherine said he’s doing really well since the surgery.
During these difficult times, the Byrnes found solace and support from the HeartKids foundation. This non-profit organisation provides vital assistance to families impacted by childhood heart disease (CHD), a leading cause of infant death in Australia. Shockingly, eight babies are born with heart disease every day, and four young lives are lost each week.
“When you look at a heart child, you don’t realise they’re unwell. A lot of people don’t know about HeartKids and how common heart conditions are unless they’re faced with it,” said Katherine. “Before we had Elijah, we didn’t realise how many kids actually died from heart conditions every day. It’s very common.”
Katherine’s colleagues at GV Vets have rallied behind the cause. For the seventh year in a row, the team dressed up as Disney characters on “Be a Hero for HeartKids Day” this past Friday, June 14. Their incredible efforts have raised over $16,568 for the “Elijah, our little warrior” fundraiser.
GV Vets are donating all proceeds from nail trims during June to HeartKids, along with raffle
“Because HeartKids is a not-for-profit, they rely on donations and funding to keep the service running. They are the difference between parents being able to stay with their children on that journey or having to go back to work and trying to work out some other way of dealing with everything,” Katherine said. “The support we’ve received from HeartKids has been incredible.”
The Byrne family extends their deepest gratitude to everyone who has participated in the fundraiser or donated. Your generosity will make a significant difference in the lives of countless families.
To support the Byrne’s fundraiser and donate to HeartKids, visit https://bit.ly/3VKIWBa
