This October, I’ll be taking on the 100 Challenge for Tiny Tickers. I will be walking 100 miles throughout the month to raise awareness and support for congenital heart disease.

1 in 100 babies in the UK are born with a serious heart condition. Sadly, my son Zyair became one of them. Unfortunately this wasn’t detected in pregnancy. When he was born he had issues feeding, he was seen daily by medical professionals and we was told he had tongue tie and that he was a ‘healthy baby’. At 6 days Zyair fell unresponsive, we was blue lighted to our local hospital resus where a large team of doctors worked tirelessly to save him. Zyair was in cardiogenic shock and he was transferred to LRI a specialist heart centre where his heart journey began.

Before his third open heart surgery, problems with both his mitral and aortic valves were identified, leading us to a new diagnosis of Shone’s complex, a rare congenital heart condition affecting multiple structures on the left side of the heart. It was another piece of the puzzle in understanding just how complex my little boy’s heart truly is.

My beautiful little boy will turn 3 this October, and in his short life he has already endured 3 open heart surgeries and 2 cardiac catheter procedures. He had his very first open heart surgery in October 2023, a month that will forever hold so much emotion, fear, strength and gratitude.

As his mummy, watching your child go through things no child should ever have to face is heartbreaking. Through every hospital stay, every surgery, every scar and every recovery, he has shown more courage than I ever thought possible.

I’m doing this challenge for him, for every heart warrior fighting battles they never chose. For the families living through the fear and uncertainty of congenital heart disease and for the Tiny Tickers charity who help save and improve the lives of babies born with heart conditions.

Every mile I walk in October will be for my little boy and the incredible strength he carries every single day.

Thank you so much for any support, donations or shares — it truly means the world to us 🤍