Brave Darlington boy has battled complex heart problems since birth

Seven-year-old Tyler was born at Darlington Memorial Hospital after a smooth birth by mother Lauren McArthur – but it was during the final checks when doctors told of complications with the newborn’s heart.

Tyler was rushed to the Freeman Hospital, in Newcastle, after finding a murmur. Just hours after giving birth Lauren was later contemplating the terrifying consequences of her baby boy’s condition: transposition of the great arteries, multiple holes in his heart and pulmonary stenosis.

They stayed in hospital for three weeks before further bad news when his saturation dropped. Doctors decided to stent his heart and told the family to return every two weeks for check-ups.

But after his skin started to turn “a blue colour” staff at the hospital decided now was the time to exercise open heart surgery. The surgery took between eight and nine hours and left Tyler with vocal cord paralysis.

Tyler in hospital during his first surgery

In 2020, just before the first coronavirus lockdown he returned to hospital for a routine scan was soon on his way to his second open heart surgery, now aged five.

Mother Lauren, 33, joined Tyler in hospital in the weeks after the second surgery but the pair had to navigate the difficulties the pandemic brought. This meant they were not allowed any visitors and were not even able to leave the site.

“He’s an amazing, sensitive little boy,” said Lauren. “It’s made me stronger and has provided me with a different outlook on life.

“He will need further surgery again but at the minute he’s doing great.

“People always say, ‘you’ve been through a lot’ and we don’t even think about until we sit down and think it all through.”

Tyler and mother Lauren

As he gets older Lauren says Tyler becomes more aware of his condition and how it affects him, but it hasn’t stopped him exercising his hobbies and regularly attending Firthmoor Primary School.

Lauren, from Middleton St George, said: “He’s getting to the age where he will ask, ‘why did I need this done to my heart?’ When he had his second surgery at five it was difficult for him.”

The family have hit a series of personal milestones since his second surgery, including their first holiday as a family. The seven-year-old is also a keen swimmer and dancer but has been warned by doctors to avoid strenuous activities due to his condition.

Read more: Darlington mum raising awareness of pulmonary hypertension

Mother-of-two Lauren said: “The first time I watched him swimming I got really emotional. To just look at him after everything he’s been through is great. I encourage him to do whatever he wants to do.

“I was 25 when I gave birth to Tyler and at that point I didn’t even know that this could happen to a baby. The first time I went onto the children’s heart unit I was in shock.

“It’s really scary and is always something that plays on my mind. I try to be strong for Tyler but it’s always there. I never realised that this world exists, and these things can happen.”

Tyler during and after surgery at hospital

Lauren is currently training and fundraising ahead of the 12k Total Warrior - Great Northern Mud Run challenge in June and has currently raised over £1,000, doubling her target, for the Children’s Heart Unit Fund.

“The response we’ve got has been amazing. I’m really overwhelmed by the generosity people have been giving me.

“Without them I wouldn’t have been able to get through it all.”

Donations can be made at: www.gofundme.com/f/help-me-raise-money-for-the-chuf-charity

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