On Sunday, 18 October, Mia and her family will lead the HeartKids community at the Kalgoorlie Two Feet & A Heartbeat walk.
Mia was diagnosed with a heart condition at five years old. What began as a tummy ache was found to be a large atrial septal defect (ASD) in her heart, leading to open-heart surgery to repair it.
Mia’s mum, Veronique, shares their family’s journey with childhood-onset heart disease, and the invaluable support they found through HeartKids.
Can you tell us about Mia’s heart journey?
I took Mia to the GP in March 2025 because she’d been complaining about a sore tummy on and off for about a week.
The day after her appointment, the doctor called and said she thought she could hear a heart murmur while listening to Mia’s chest. She explained that 9 times out of 10 it’s nothing to worry about, but wanted to refer her to a cardiologist just to be sure.
We didn’t want to take any chances and wait until the cardiologist visited Kalgoorlie in June, so a couple of weeks later we went to Perth. It felt like the echocardiogram went on forever, and the longer it took, the more we realised something wasn’t right. He found a large atrial septal defect (ASD) in Mia’s heart and, because of its position, it would most likely need to be repaired with open-heart surgery.
We were in complete shock. Mia had always been such an energetic, happy little girl and had never shown any signs that something could be wrong with her heart. Dr Kothari immediately called the cardiology team at Perth Children’s Hospital and managed to get us an appointment that same day.
A couple of weeks later, I received a phone call from PCH to let us know Mia’s surgery had been scheduled for 13 May. We flew to Perth the week before for her pre-operative appointments and suddenly, everything felt very real.
The day before her surgery, we flew back to Perth ready for her admission the following morning. That afternoon we were walking around Perth Zoo when we received a call from Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH) to say her surgery had been cancelled because they urgently needed her ICU bed. It was heart breaking, but thankfully the surgery was rescheduled for exactly one week later. We flew back home and tried to settle back into normal life for a few more days.
My mum had flown all the way from Belgium to stay in Kalgoorlie with our then one-year-old daughter, Ruby, while we were in Perth. It was an incredible help, and I honestly don’t know how we would have managed without her.
On 19 May we flew back to Perth and this time Mia’s surgery went ahead the following day. She was unbelievably brave. From the moment we arrived, the team at PCH did everything they could to make her feel safe and comfortable, and we will always be grateful for the care they gave our family.
The days after surgery were tough, but once Mia found her feet again she was quick to get back to her happy, cheeky self. The weeks that followed were one big countdown while she waited for the all clear to do all the things she loved again. Not being allowed on the monkey bars or doing cartwheels was definitely the hardest part for her! Once the doctors gave her the green light, she was absolutely unstoppable.
We’re still under Dr Kothari’s care, but everything has been going extremely well. If things continue this way, she may even be discharged from his care by the end of this year.
Today, you’d never know Mia has a scar on her chest or the journey she’s been through, but she’ll always be our little heart warrior. We’re so proud of how brave she has been and we hope that by sharing her story we can help raise awareness for childhood-onset heart disease and support other heart families along the way.
How has HeartKids supported your family?
HeartKids was there for us every step of the way. My husband first reached out to them and from that moment, Tash became part of our journey. She met with us at the hospital before Mia’s pre-op appointments, checked in on us throughout the process and was there on the day of Mia’s surgery.
The information and support she gave us was invaluable. One piece of advice, in particular, has always stayed with me. She encouraged both of us to attend Mia’s pre-op appointment together and suggested asking a family member or friend to come along to keep Mia occupied while we met with the surgeon. During that appointment, the surgeon explained the procedure in great detail, including some very confronting risks. Those are conversations no five-year-old should have to hear. Without her advice, Mia would have been sitting there listening to it all, and my husband and I wouldn’t have been able to support each other through one of the hardest conversations we’ve ever had.
HeartKids also helped Mia feel special. Instead of feeling like she was the only child who had been through something like this, she realised she was part of a community of other heart kids who shared similar experiences. That sense of belonging has meant so much to her and to us as a family.
What do you wish more people understood about childhood heart conditions?
Childhood heart conditions aren’t always obvious. Mia was a happy, energetic five-year-old with no signs that anything was wrong, and her heart condition was discovered completely by chance.
I think it’s important for people to understand that heart conditions can impact any child and any family. You can’t always see what someone has been through just by looking at them.
What would you say to another heart family?
Take it one day at a time and don’t be afraid to lean on the people (and organisations) around you.
The journey can feel incredibly overwhelming and scary, especially in the beginning, but there is so much support out there and a whole community of heart families who truly understand what you’re going through.
Our heart kids are incredibly resilient, don’t ever forget that.
To support families like Mia’s, register to attend your local Two Feet & A Heartbeat walk today.
