A toddler who battled 11 heart defects has defied the odds to survive and now never stops smiling.
Sophia Marshall, from Wychbold, Worcestershire, was just 18 months old when doctors suggested that her devastated parents, Chantelle and Samuel, both 30, take her to a hospice to live out her final days in comfort.
Determined not to give up on their only daughter, they made the difficult decision to have Sophia, who suffered her first cardiac arrest at just two days old in her father’s arms, undergo a risky operation last July.
After four weeks in hospital with doctors not expecting her to make it, Sophia miraculously pulled through.
Although the youngster, who will require further life-saving surgery in the future, has suffered stunted development as a result of her conditions, she is now enjoying life at home just eight months after her procedure.
Chantelle and Samuel are sharing their story to give other parents hope.
Toddler Sophia Marshall (pictured with her parents Chantelle and Samuel, both 30), who battled 11 heart defects, has defied the odds to survive and now never stops smiling
Sophia (pictured in hospital) was just 18 months old when doctors suggested that her devastated parents take her to a hospice where she could live out her final days in comfort
Sophia (pictured in hospital) had her first cardiac arrest at just two days old in her father’s arms
‘Doctors gave us the option of palliative care’
Chantelle, a full-time mother, said: ‘We had no idea there was anything wrong with Sophia when she was first born until we brought her home.
‘She turned blue and after rushing her to hospital we were devastated when we realised she had a heart defect.
‘After undergoing surgery to permanently fix this defect last July, Sophia’s body rejected the repair valve and she deteriorated rapidly.
‘Doctors gave us the option of palliative care and said she could go into a hospice to die comfortably.
‘At this point, due to her failed corrective surgery, she now had 11 heart defects, which amazed doctors as most kids just have one or two.
She said: ‘Sophia had another operation to try and save her life where is band is placed over her heart, to even the pressures in her heart and control the blood flow.
‘And thankfully, after waiting four weeks in Birmingham’s Children’s Hospital, we were told that it had been a success and Sophia had responded well to surgery.’
Surgery to fix the original defect went wrong when Sophia’s body rejected the heart valve
Although now happy at home, Sophia’s failed surgery caused her to develop 10 more defects
Refusing to give up, her parents had her undergo a risky operation, which was a success
The defects have halted Sophia’s development, leaving her unable to stand unaided
‘Last July was the worst time of our lives’
Chantelle and Samuel have been warned Sophia’s operation is not a permanent solution and the youngster will need to undergo a second procedure once her band needs replacing.
The mother-of-one said: ‘Last July was the worst time of our lives, we were so incredibly lucky that Sophia’s pulled through her surgery.
‘We’d missed her so much as we’d not heard her talk for five weeks while she recovered.
‘She’s normally such a happy little chatterbox and is never not smiling or giggling.
‘Sophia hasn’t started walking yet as her development has been slowed down by her heart defects but we’re hopeful she will soon.’
Doctors are unsure how Sophia will be affected by her heart defect in later life but hope that as new developments are discovered, she will go on to live a normal life.
Chantelle said: ‘In the future she might be eligible for a heart transplant but at the moment we’re just enjoying her being healthy again.’
Chantelle described Sophia’s battle as ‘the worst time of our lives’ (pictured in hospital)
While recovering, the normally happy Sophia was unable to communicate for five weeks
Sophia (pictured on her second birthday) will require further life-saving surgery in the future
‘We couldn’t be happier’
Chantelle said: ‘We’ve decided to share Sophia’s success story as we hope that if any other parents are faced with the same decision as us last July that they can find the strength to also defy doctors.
‘Her recovery has been a long process but we’ve now been signed off from the hospital for three months and we couldn’t be happier.’
Ashleigh Doggett, a senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, added: ‘Congenital heart disease is the most common birth defect, affecting around one in 100 babies born in the UK.
‘Thankfully congenital conditions which cause multiple heart defects are very rare, but in order to understand them better and mend tiny hearts we need to fund more life saving research.
‘The British Heart Foundation is committed to supporting families affected by congenital heart disease.’
Sophia may one day be eligible for a heart transplant but is currently enjoying being healthy
Sophia’s parents are speaking out to give hope to others going through similar situations
Her parents add they want their story to give people the strength to defy doctors
Although she has been signed off hospital for three months, her recovery is a long process