Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I am raising money for the British Heart Foundation because in 2011, my daughter Izabella was born with a congenital heart defect and underwent open heart surgery when she was just 25 weeks old. In the 1950s around eight out of ten babies with a complex congenital heart condition died before their first birthday. Today, thanks to advances in treatment and care, more than eight out of ten babies with congenital heart disease grow up to be adults.

Wear red on the 6th February and make a donation. You’ll be helping to fund the British Heart Foundation’s life-saving research.

Catch up with Izabella on twitter @izabellaphoenix

Background: Izabella was born at 34 weeks (6 weeks early) having survived my awful pregnancy sickness (hyperemesis gravidarum) and severe pre-eclampsia. She weighed 1.7kg / 3lbs 14oz. After initially appearing well but small, she developed respiratory distress syndrome and spent the first few days of her life in intensive care on life support. Age 19 days, Izabella came home. Izabella’s heart defects where diagnosed age 12 days. The main issues where a large VSD (hole in the heart) and pulmonary stenosis.