Hull boy given 10 days to live starts school
4-year-old Flynn Brown was diagnosed with an extremely rare heart condition when in the womb.
A little boy from Hull who was given just 10 days to live is starting school for the first time today.
4-year-old Flynn Brown was diagnosed with an extremely rare heart condition when in the womb.
He needed emergency heart surgery and there was only a 50% chance he'd survive the operation.
But he defied doctors' expectations and is starting Thoresby Primary in west Hull this morning.
Flynn's mum, Stef Westmorland, says she's so thankful for doctors in Leeds which saved him and told Viking:
“When Flynn went in for his first operation, the doctors said without the heart surgery he wouldn’t make it past ten days old.
“At that time we couldn’t think about the future. We didn’t think about Flynn saying his first word or taking his first steps, let alone his first day of school.
“Seeing how far he’s come amazes us. We’re a very positive and optimistic family and I’m so excited to wave him off at the school gates, but also a little nervous."
Flynn’s journey isn’t over as he still needs a further heart operation in January next year. The family will travel back to Leeds General Infirmary.
Jane McHale is from the Sick Children's Trust which supported Flynn and his family and says:
“It is wonderful to see Flynn starting school after what was such a tough start to life. But seeing how he fought his way through that first year, we know school won’t be a big challenge for him.
“The Sick Children’s Trust helps families from all over the UK who have to travel miles to get their loved ones life-saving treatment. When your child is so seriously ill, it’s an incredibly difficult time. Eckersley House - along with the charity’s other ‘Homes from Home’ - helps ease some of those worries by keeping families together.”