Ethan celebrates a year on from heart surgery

Ethan celebrates a year on from heart surgery

Children's Heart Surgery Fund invite Ethan and family to enjoy magical matchday experience at Elland Road.

At just six-years-old Ethan has already had to endure more than most of us having been through three open heart surgeries in his short life – the first when he was just five months old and the last taking place a year ago.

Ethan was born with a pulmonary valve stenosis which is a heart valve disorder usually caused by congenital heart disease. Last year he was told he needed further open heart surgery in the form of a valve replacement using a human heart valve.

To reward the youngster for his bravery and to celebrate the anniversary of his latest heart surgery, he was invited to spend a special day with his favourite football team which would see him attend his first ever match at Elland Road, all thanks to the partnership between the club and Children’s Heart Surgery Fund.

The youngster attended the Sky Bet Championship fixture against Millwall with his dad Marc, cousin Lucas and uncle Liam – all massive Whites fans and huge supporters of the club's charity partner of the year and all the work they do.

They arrived early for the match on Saturday afternoon ready to meet the full squad pitchside for photos ahead of kick-off and were also given the chance to walk out onto the pitch through the tunnel, the exact way their heroes would be doing just an hour later.

Yosuke Ideguchi

Yosuke Ideguchi

The charity partnership with Children’s Heart Surgery Fund is all about raising much-needed funds to purchase life-saving equipment for young heart heroes, just like Ethan, and to support families through some of the hardest times they’re likely to face.

The money raised will purchase a Super Life-Support Machine and a new dialysis machine for the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at Leeds Children’s Hospital and also be used to renovate the family areas based at the local hospital including bedrooms, a kitchen and a living area.

If you are able to donate to the season-long campaign, please click here.

ETHAN MAKES HIS FIRST VISIT TO ELLAND RD

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