For Mighty Marley & For Every Family Still Fighting

Little Marley was born on 2 December 2023. For the first 24 hours, she appeared perfectly healthy. Then, very suddenly, everything changed.

Her condition deteriorated rapidly and she was rushed to intensive care, where Lucy and her family were given the devastating news that her heart was not working properly and that things were not looking good.

The Children’s Acute Transport ambulance team was called to transfer Marley the five minutes down the road to Royal Brompton Hospital. But despite the short distance, it took more than eight hours to prepare her for the journey. Because of the life-saving medication she was on, it took hours to safely transfer her IVs, and the family were warned there was a high chance she would not survive the journey.

But she did.

Once at Royal Brompton, Marley was placed on ECMO, a heart and lung bypass machine. Again, the doctors warned the family that she might not survive.

But she did.

ECMO gave the medical team time to work out what was happening. They discovered a blocked artery, which they were able to clear. Nine days later, Marley came off ECMO, and for a short while, things began to look hopeful.

But the damage to her heart had been too severe.

Over the following five months, while family and friends waited and hoped for good news, Lucy and her loved ones lived day by day beside Marley's hospital bed. There were moments of hope and moments of heartbreak. There were infections, complications and setbacks. At one point Marley's heart function had fallen to just 10%.

There were countless moments when it seemed impossible to imagine a happy ending.

Yet Marley kept fighting.

Anyone who knows Lucy will know how fiercely she loves those around her. Watching her navigate these months while caring for Marley only deepened the admiration everyone already had for her. The strength and determination she showed throughout that time were extraordinary.

There were days when life seemed unbearably unfair, yet she found the strength to keep showing up, to keep believing and, most importantly, to keep loving Marley with everything she had.

While the medical teams focused on keeping Marley alive, the Brompton Fountain looked after the family around her. In a world of wires, machines and difficult decisions, they gave Lucy and her family moments of comfort and normality when they needed them most. Sometimes through practical support, sometimes simply by being there, and always with kindness and understanding. They became a constant throughout those five months in hospital, and their support meant more to Lucy and her family than they could ever put into words. For families going through the worst moments of their lives, that kind of support is invaluable.

Eventually, with no other treatment options left, Marley was placed on the heart transplant list. Because she was so tiny, the chances of finding a suitable donor heart were thought to be incredibly small.

So they waited. They held her hand and waited. One of the doctors said to Lucy, “You just need to hold her hand and go where she goes.”

Then, on 24 March — Lucy’s birthday — they received the call that there was a donor heart.

It is impossible to tell Marley’s story without recognising another family whose story took a heartbreaking turn. During the darkest moment of their lives, they made a decision that gave Marley a future. Their beautiful little boy’s heart beats on inside Marley today. Those who know and love Marley are, and always will be, in awe of the extraordinary generosity, courage and selflessness of that family.

Because of them, Marley came home.

Today, anyone who meets Marley sees what a remarkable little girl she is. She is a happy, funny and incredibly cheeky girl and brings joy to everyone around her. She has survived every moment she was told she wouldn't, with an extraordinary determination to keep going.

Marley is a reminder that sorrow and joy can exist side by side, and that even when everything feels hopeless, where there is life, there is always hope. But most of all, she reminds us of the incredible power of love.

Watching Marley grow and thrive has been one of the greatest privileges for all of us who know her. That is why we are all proud to support Lucy and her family as they give something back to an organisation that stood beside them when they needed it most.

This year, Lucy, Henry Manning, Chris Beggs, Sophie Webb, John Alvarez, Jonno Forbes, Jonathan Mudd, Anna Hargrave, Christen Savage, Nick Gill, Fergus Bibby, George Smyly, Jonny Cuthbert, Charlotte Bird, Stuart Hoddinott, Chris Baker, Joey Mahon, Jack Sheehy and Olivia Milne will be taking on the Royal Parks Half Marathon to raise money for the Brompton Fountain.

We want to help make sure that other families facing the unimaginable receive the same support, kindness and care that meant so much to Lucy and her family.

Every donation, no matter how big or small, will help the Brompton Fountain continue the vital work they do for children and families at Royal Brompton.

And thanks to additional support from Brit Insurance, every pound donated will be tripled, meaning a £1 donation becomes £3 for the Brompton Fountain.

If Marley's story has touched you, please consider donating. Every contribution will help give other families a little more comfort and support during some of the hardest days of their lives.