Jake is the inspirational little boy whose bravery started the Team 1c movement. You would never know it if you met him, but Jake was born with an incredibly rare and complex cardiac condition and has been through so much in his little life. He has dealt with everything life has thrown at him with bravery, a smile and even though he lives with the challenges of CHD he always gives 100% into fundraising to help his “cardiac cousins” who do not have the luxury of a free healthcare system at point of use.
Tristan Elijah Campbell
9th February 2019
Fatima Al-zahra Farooq
21st February 2019Jake Cathcart, BCyA
#gozebraforjake
Age 3
In 2018, Jake was given the honour of being the youngest recipient of the British Citizen Youth award for his bravery and dedication to helping those less fortunate.
Jake was born with a rare, undiagnosed form of Arrhythmia, a rare, undiagnosed form of Cardiomyopathy and a very large hole in his heart. It was discovered literally as we were leaving hospital to take him home the day he was born. In the space of an hour he went from his car seat to Special Baby care. The following day he was transferred to Alder Hey, where we pretty much spent Jake’s first year.
When various attempts to regulate his heart failed, Jake was transferred by helicopter to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London for a second opinion. By this time Jake’s heart was so poorly he also underwent a heart transplant assessment. It was then decided that his best chance was to have a bespoke Biventricular Pacemaker fitted in an attempt to resynchronise his heart. The surgery itself went well but there were complications and Jake arrested for a second time. The ICU team worked very quickly and managed to save Jake. An emergency heart scan revealed that Jake urgently needed to have the hole in his heart closed. We were warned that he may not survive the operation, but we knew he certainly wouldn’t survive not having it.
Jake remained ventilated on his first birthday and the following day he had open heart surgery… Two days later he came off the ventilator and a month later he was discharged home! It’s been over two years since Jake’s surgery and in that time his heart function has gone from poor to stable. He’s walking, talking, he goes to nursery, he has swimming lessons and he even given the honour of a BHF Heart Hero award and a British Citizen youth Award for his bravery and dedication to fundraising.
We continue to be under the care of Alder hey and GOSH; Jake is facing more surgery in the near future, but for now we will enjoy every second of being at home and are looking forward to welcoming Jake’s baby sister in March 2019.
Related posts
