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Jessica was born in November 2010 with a congenital heart condition called pulmonary atresia with VSD and other complications.  After being born at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital she was transferred to Birmingham Children's Hospital before she was 24 hours old.  She was cared for by the doctors and nurses of Ward 11 using techniques that were discovered  less than 25 years ago.  After closed heart surgery at 8 days old and 6 weeks in hospital she was allowed home. 

The skill of Mr Tim Jones, her surgeon,  meant open heart surgery could be delayed until she was bigger so her heart was larger than the size of a walnut.   When the stent that Mr Jones put in began to fail after a year, Dr Stumper, her consultant was able to put a tiny stent in via keyhole surgery to buy more time.  This was and still is ground breaking surgery.

As the Olympic Games opened in London in August 2012 Jessica was on PICU in BCU having had 8 hours of open heart surgery, having first had keyhole surgery again undertaken by Dr Stumper. On this occasion, whilst on heart by-pass Mr Jones plumbed a valve from a calves neck to become a pulmonary valve and placing a piece of gortex inside her heart to close the hole.  The care and support of the whole team on Wards 11 and 12 was second to none.  Due to their work and Jessica's determination her stay at BCH was surprisingly short.

Since her major surgery Jessica has grown in confidence and stature.  She is unbothered by her 'magic zip' and will try anything although she get tired more quickly than other youngsters.  Her zest for life may have caused her calves valve to stretch and begin to fold into itself.  Again, the actions of Dr Stumper saved her life and prevented the need for a second open heart surgery in 12 months.  His ground breaking keyhole surgery was life saving and bought more time before the valve will need replacing through open heart surgery.

The work of the BCH cardiac team is amazing, they work immensely hard under extremely difficult circumstances.  Imagine the conversations they have on a daily basis with families and children about life limiting and life ending illnesses.  They strive to find a means to extend lives of youngsters who, less than a generation ago would not have survived. They work with the parents and families of those youngsters to help and support those children and do so with a cheerfulness that belies the seriousness of the situations.

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