Whanganui student born with heart murmur backing 360 Heart Stopper Challenge

Whanganui High School student Sam Gray spent the first few days of his life in an incubator before a heart murmur was detected.

His mother, Rachel Hura, had given birth to him via emergency Caesarean section because his heart was "struggling".

Now 15, Sam has benefited hugely from Heart Kids New Zealand whose annual 360 Heart Stopper Challenge kicked this week in the hope of raising $200,000 for the organisation.

"He was six pounds 14 ounces, and every now and then he'd go blue," Hura said.

"He was on bypass for nine hours for his operation, and that's when they did the rastelli repair, which is obviously a big operation. That was on a Thursday, and on the Sunday they did a follow up and found that he was still in complete heart block, so he had to go back to surgery and get a pacemaker inserted."

Hura said Heart Kids had been "awesome" throughout the early stages of Sam's life, providing petrol vouchers and food hampers when they had gone to Starship Children's Hospital in Auckland for different procedures.

"Sam wasn't able to have his open heart surgery until he was at least 15kg, so he was about 4-1/2 when that finally happened.

"Heart Kids always had different events here in Whanganui for all the Heart Kids to come along to, and they gave us tickets for things like Kids Extravaganza up in Taranaki.

"[Heart Kids has been] really, really, good. I was in my second year of nursing when everything happened, so things were quite full on.

"You can't help what's happening, but I'd say to other people out there that are going through a similar thing, if there's help available then take it, especially if you're on your own.

"It was good knowing that you weren't in that boat by yourself, and I was oblivious to the fact that there are a lot of Heart Kids out there."

Sam, who is aiming to become an architect once he finished school, said his heart condition had limited his ability to participate in a few activities, but that he was learning martial arts.

"I can't compete in certain sports, and I can't do things that other kids can do, like cross-country for example," he said.

"I would start to puff out quickly, and that goes for things like rugby and soccer as well."

Participants in the 2020 Heart Stopper Challenge are encouraged to share their experiences online once the challenge is completed, and members of the public can donate to the participant of their choice through the Heart Stopper website.

Hura said she had participated in previous in-person Heart Stopper Challenges in Whanganui and had managed to last six minutes in a spa pool full of icy water.

I sat in a icy cold spa pool for two years in a row. It was crazy, and I remember saying to myself 'I'm never doing that again'.

"It does show what kids go through when they have heart surgery though, because their bodies are cooled during the procedure.

"You can't help what's happening, but if there's help available then take it, especially if you're on your own.

• The 360 Heart Stopper Challenge runs until Sunday, November 15. For more information on how to participate or donate, go to heartstopper.org.nz

Mike Tweed
Whanganui Chronicle 12/11/20