01/02/2026
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♥️Why I look after my Heart ♥️
My background story:
In 1976, truncus arteriosus was a critical, often fatal congenital heart defect, with over 90% of unoperated infants dying within their first year.
At just 28 days old I was diagnosed with Truncus Arteriosis type 2, 5 VSDs (holes), 2 heart murmurs and a leaky valve. My mum was told that without surgery I would be dead within days but that the surgery only had a 1 % success rate due to the complexity and how young 1 was.
With severe heart failure from type 2 truncus arteriosus I underwent a successful corrective surgery employing the use of deep hypothermia and total circulatory arrest. - (your heart is taken out of your body and you are put in an Ice bag to keep you alive)
In 1976 I had a 12 hour operation including 300 minutes of bypass (the average adult heart bypass surgery lasts 90 minutes)
✨Long story very short, I survived. I was in 1976 THE YOUNGEST person (baby at 28days old) to endure and survive this operation ✨
and so I was named:
“Baby Danielle, the 8th wonder of the world “
My mum gave permission so my case is used throughout medicine to teach any nurse/doctor going into Heart care how complicated treating a patient can be.
My heart is smack bang in the middle of my chest, I still have, in affect, two heart sounds and when I do visit hospital, students are sent in to see if they can detect the second sound. So I’m still to this day, helping medicine♥️
In the medical world I am treated like royalty,literally, because I am, in their words, ‘A Walking Miracle’
I’ve since had this procedure 3 other times, ages 4 years, 16 years and 43 years old.
Only specialist heart surgeons who work at Great Ormond Street Hospital can work on me, because of the placing of my heart.
I’m here today and so thankful because of them 🥰
So as you can see, I’m more than qualified to say why Heart Health matters! ♥️
Dan
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