Support baby George’s heart journey

At our 20-week scan, we were excited to learn a baby boy would be joining our family - but it quickly turned into heartbreak when the sonographer said she suspected a serious heart defect. Further specialist scans in Wellington and Auckland confirmed Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome (HRHS), a rare condition where the right side of the heart is severely underdeveloped and cannot pump blood to the lungs. Our baby only has one left ventricle as the right is non-functioning, he also has a narrowed aorta and Transposition of the Great Arteries (TGA).

Our family was given three devastating options: late termination, comfort cares when born, or attempting a series of three high-risk open-heart surgeries to help his heart function with just one pumping chamber. These surgeries are: The Norwood – within the first week of life., The Glenn – around 4–6 months old., The Fontan – around 3–4 years old.

After confirming that everything aside from his heart was normal, we’ve chosen to give our baby every chance at life. This has meant relocating to Auckland — home of the only paediatric cardiac hospital in New Zealand — six hours from our home in Palmerston North, so that our baby can receive immediate care.

After the first surgery, our family will be split between two cities: Caleb returning to Palmy with our two daughters for work, school, and daycare, while I stay in Auckland with our newborn until the second surgery.

We are funded for accommodation by Ronald McDonald house, they look after families with children in hospital with serious conditions. It doesn’t cover food, and we are paying our mortgage and bills back home.