Esme’s battle began the moment she was born in July 2020, right in the middle of lockdown. From day one she struggled with feeding, and community nurses visited weekly to monitor her weight. Eventually she was diagnosed with “failure to thrive,” a label that left her parents, Hannah and her husband, feeling helpless and exhausted. Months passed with endless weighing, special feeding techniques, and constant worry, yet nothing seemed to help.

Then, at 11 months old, a persistent cough that wouldn’t go away turned into something far more serious. Esme was admitted to hospital with bronchiolitis. Her oxygen levels refused to improve despite treatment. An x-ray revealed an enlarged heart, and further examination picked up a loud murmur. The family was plunged into fear as Esme was rushed for an echocardiogram. The result was life-changing: she had been born with an atrioventricular septal defect — a serious hole in the centre of the heart affecting both the walls and the valves.

Open heart surgery was needed urgently, but doctors had to wait two weeks for an infection to clear completely. The operation finally took place just ten days before her first birthday. The tension in the hospital was unbearable as the family waited to hear whether surgeons could repair the valve or if a replacement would be required. In an emotional moment of relief, the surgical team confirmed they had successfully repaired the valve, delaying any further operations for many years.

“Those long months of worry forged you into an incredibly strong mama. Every feeding struggle and hospital night made you her safest place. You didn’t just get through it… you became the mother of a true survivor.”