An 11-year-old boy from Birmingham who overcame open-heart surgery is preparing to take on a major inflatable obstacle course to raise money for charity. Oliver, who was born five weeks premature, wants to support the organisation that helped his family through their most difficult times.
Early Health Struggles
Oliver was born five weeks early and struggled with breathing problems and slow growth throughout his early years. Doctors eventually discovered he had a rare heart problem that meant some of his veins were sending blood to his lungs, instead of his heart. The schoolboy underwent a major operation to fix his heart at Glenfield Hospital in August 2018. He recovered well from the surgery but still needs regular check-ups with heart specialists.
Additional Health Challenges
Alongside his heart condition, Oliver lives with learning and eating difficulties as well as hypermobility, which means his joints are very flexible. These conditions make running, balance, and coordination a daily challenge for him.
The Fundraising Mission
The determined youngster is tackling an inflatable five-kilometre run this month to give back to the charity Heart Link, which supported his family through one of the hardest times in their lives. While many people see the event as a fun obstacle course, for Oliver it represents something much greater. Because of his hypermobility, foot condition and coordination difficulties, completing the course will be a significant physical achievement. His proud family hopes his fundraising mission will also help raise awareness about children born with heart defects.
