Birthday girl a mini 'miracle'

Published on 22nd March 2007 in News

A little girl who has been described as a 'pure miracle' by doctors will celebrate her first birthday this weekend.

At first, doctors thought Sienna Singleton, of Carlton, was a normal, healthy baby.

"My husband and I were told we a had a perfect baby girl," said mum Kerry.

"But when she was six weeks old, she was suddenly taken ill."

Sienna was taken to Goole and Scunthorpe hospitals and was eventually rushed to Leeds in the early hours of the morning.

It was discovered that Sienna had a hole in her heart.

"But that was the least of her worries," said Kerry.

Doctors also found that valves in her heart were the wrong way round, and, worse still, one of her heart chambers was underdeveloped.

During a nine-hour operation, Sienna had open heart surgery - a procedure that doctors said should have been done as soon as she was born.

"I passed out when she came back from the operation, with all the tubes sticking out of her," said her mum.

"We were told she was 'a pure miracle'."

Nearly a year on, Sienna still needs regular hospital check-ups and gets out of breath easily.

'No cure' possible

for brave little girl

Sienna does not feed well and is the size of a five- or six-month-old baby and Kerry has been told she might only live until she is 25.

"Her condition can never be cured," she said. "She'll need another operation this year or the end of the next, depending on how much she grows."

But apart from that, she is a normal, happy baby who will have an extra special birthday party on Sunday, with all the family and friends who have helped her through her first year.

Sienna has also prompted her mum to help raise money for the Children's Heart Surgery Fund.

So far, Kerry has helped raise just short of £3,000 through events such as canoeing and quizzes.

She has also set up a website, called www.siennasheart2heart.co.uk, which includes a forum and her contact details for parents to share experiences.

"People can ring up for support or advice. It helps me as well."