Heart Warrior Alfie

Alfie's Journey

'Alfie was born with a heart condition called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS).'

HLHS is a rare congenital condition where the left lower pumping chamber (left ventricle) of the heart does not develop properly so is much smaller than usual.

'Alfie had his first open heart surgery at 18 months old and spent two weeks between PICU and Ward 1E.'

'He had several short stays in hospital for cardiac catheters.'

'At age five, Alfie had his second open heart surgery.'

'During surgery, they discovered that Alfie had an aortic tear and they had to work very hard to save him.'

emma, alfie's mum

'The aortic tear reduced the amount of oxygen to his brain, and as a result, Alfie suffered some brain damage.'

'We spent two weeks between PICU and 1E and didn’t know the extent of the damage. Luckily, due to their fast work, it was minimal.'

'Devastating News'

'In February 2023, Alfie became unwell with diahorea, and we went to A&E in Glasgow where we were told the devastating news that he was in heart failure and there were no more surgical options.'

'Alfie then spent almost four months in Ward 1E.'

'It was tough, but he was always happy.'

Emma, alfie's mum

'Thankfully, we managed to sort his medication to allow him to come home.'

'In June 2023, we found out that he had been listed routinely for a heart transplant.'

'We still go to Glasgow every three months as outpatients. Alfie always makes sure to visit Ward 1E whenever we're in for an appointment.' 

'When Alfie had his long stay in hospital last year, we really came to appreciate everyone in the ward. Everyone was really supportive and always tried to make life easier for us anyway they could.'

emma, alfie's mum

'We were initially told we could be there for up to two years, so we really settled in and tried to make life normal and homely in a very strange environment.'

'We were so lucky Alfie responded well to oral treatment and we could come home to wait for transplant.'

How your donations help

Thanks to your donations, Alfie and his family benefitted from a number of charity-funded services during their time in hospital. 

'The hospital MediCinema was a firm favourite of Alfie’s and his sisters!'

'Any opportunity to go, he grabbed! Even when he was on an infusion and it was tricky, the ward staff and MediCinema volunteers made it happen for him.'

'The Play Team were also invaluable to us. They kept things fun for Alfie during a really hard time and they allowed me to nip out to get shopping or washing done without feeling like I was leaving him alone.'

emma, alfie's mum

'Alfie absolutely loves his Beads of Courage and the story they tell of his journey since birth.'

Beads of Courage is an incredible programme that we're proud to support in the hospital. Each tiny bead commemorates a treatment milestone and celebrates how far each wee one has come.

'A firm favourite in the play room was the interactive projector. Alfie also loved getting different games each day to play with.'

'He participated in so many activities with Wendy from the play team and loved seeing his art work up in the atrium in the displays over the months.'

'The play park was also a hit as the weather got better and Alfie started to improve.'

'The treasure chest in the Teddy Hospital was also a godsend for getting Alfie comfortable with frequent and painful interventions such as bloods and cannulas.'

'Getting to pick a gift from the box helped get him used to these procedures.'