This October, Kaitlyn and her family will be part of the HeartKids Two Feet & A Heartbeat campaign, joining our community walk in Townsville.
Kaitlyn’s family’s journey with childhood-onset heart disease began before she was even born, after losing her sister to congenital heart disease in 2011.
Kaitlyn was diagnosed with a heart condition at 30 weeks gestation, meaning her entire family had to relocate to Melbourne for five months of hospital care.
Now 10, Kaitlyn continues to brighten every room she walks into. Her mum, Tamara, shares her journey, the strength and resilience of children with heart conditions, and the support HeartKids continues to provide.
Can you tell us about Kaitlyn’s heart journey?
Kaitlyn is our second heart kid. We sadly lost Kaitlyn’s sister, Allysha, at 3 and a half weeks old in 2011, so we have been through both sides of congenital heart disease.
We didn’t find out that Kaitlyn also had a heart condition until I was 30 weeks pregnant, even after multiple scans.
Kaitlyn was born in Melbourne because Brisbane wasn’t an option at the time. We had to pack our house and put everything into storage to go to Melbourne where we then spent five months.
Kaitlyn spent the first three and a half months in ICU due to fluid loss and other complications from the first surgery. We finally travelled home to Townsville five months later. That was the best day ever- finally bringing our girl home to meet the rest of her family. Kaitlyn has the most beautiful soul and brightens any room she walks into.
How has HeartKids supported your family?
HeartKids has been an amazing support right from the very beginning in Melbourne, helping and supporting where they were able to. Even just the morning tea catch-ups were a great way to break up the hospital stay, while also giving us the chance to meet so many families that we are still connected to to this day and reminding us that we were not alone in this journey.
What do you wish more people understood about childhood heart conditions?
Nobody realises how childhood heart conditions impact so many people and families. Raising awareness helps educate those around people impacted by CHD and helps them understand how to support their loved ones.
They need to know they are not alone in this journey. It can be a very long, hard road, and everyone needs that support. The more knowledge we can share about this happening to so many children, the more people are going to understand and be able to help.
What would you say to another heart family?
Take it one day at a time. We all have good days and bad days, but our heart warriors are amazingly strong and resilient; they are our little miracles. Treat every day as a blessing.
To support families like Kaitlyn’s, register to attend your local Two Feet & A Heartbeat walk today.
