Our beautiful daughter Jessica was born in September 2011 with a severe heart defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome. This was diagnosed at her 20 week scan and we were initially told that she was unlikely to be suitable for surgery. However, a pioneering in-utero operation at 28 weeks to enlarge a hole in her atrial septum was carried out and she was able to make it to term and get through her first open-heart surgery at just eight hours old. Jessica underwent five more surgeries during her life. Her final surgery - the Fontan procedure - took place in December 2017. She initially made a good recovery but sadly passed away suddenly on 14th April 2018 at the age of 6. This is the story of a little girl whose half a heart overflowed with love. She was, and will forever be, our little miracle and brought joy to all who knew her.

Thursday, 6 September 2018

Jessica's 7th birthday

Today is Jessica’s 7th birthday and the 7th anniversary of her first open heart surgery. The first of our big girl’s birthdays without her. It has been a very emotional day, especially as it was also Sophie’s first day at school. Jessica would have been so proud that her little sister was going to school with her and so excited about it also being her birthday.


Nanny and Auntie Loraynne came up for the day and we had a little birthday celebration for her at her forever bed at GreenAcres. I made her a “Kerry birthday cake” modelled on her favourite toy and Sophie blew out the candle as we sang Happy Birthday to Jessica. I am sure Jessica would have loved her cake. She adored her Kerry and she absolutely loved cake. "Cake" was one of the first words she learned to sign as a baby, along with more and please!



A photo of Jessica at GreenAcres with her "Kerry cake"



This first birthday has been a hard one. We miss our little girl so much and even more so on days like today. Thank you so much to everyone who has wished our beautiful girl a happy birthday today and those who have been keeping us in their thoughts and prayers.
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