Earlier this year we welcomed our daughter into the world. She’s perfect, but her heart isn’t. At 5 days old she had open heart surgery which turned out to be more complex than initially thought. It’s a day we’ll never forget for all the wrong reasons. Thea faced one major complication after another and ended up spending 209 days at The Royal Brompton Hospital, most of which were spent in intensive care.

Thea has a life of complex medical needs ahead, but right now she’s where she belongs - at home with us. We cannot begin to thank the team at Brompton for what they’ve done for our family. They saved Thea’s life countless times. They cared for us as we were quite literally falling apart. They considered our son at home and helped him to understand what was happening. It took 4 months for Harry to meet his sister, but what a moment that was.

Most people will thankfully never experience the world of paediatric intensive care, but it was our home for 7 months. As a family, we will be walking 209 miles - a mile for each day of Thea’s stay - to raise much needed money for this amazing hospital. Brompton cares for some of the sickest children in the UK. We are so grateful that Thea was able to come home. We met other amazing families who weren’t so lucky. Every mile we walk will be a celebration of the family time that we thought we may never get to spend together, and also a way of remembering those we met on our journey, including the little angels.

Thank you in advance for your support. It means the world to us.