Higham Ferrers boy, 5, waiting for heart valve transplant

Friends are rallying to support a Higham Ferrers family as they wait for their five-year-old son to undergo his seventh open-heart surgery.

Carter-Lewis Walker, five, has four obstructive lesions in the left of his heart and had his first open-heart surgery at the age of two when he was diagnosed.

His mum, Ashleigh Walker, 29, said: "I knew something wasn't right but my GP made out like I didn't have a clue.

"We switched GPs and got referred. They sent him for a second opinion at Great Ormond Street Hospital and he was in heart failure.

They didn't think he was going to make it."

But Carter-Lewis made it through and since then, the brave little boy has had six open-heart surgeries and spent many weeks in hospital.

Ashleigh said: "This will be the seventh time into his chest.

"They have removed it (the obstructions) three times but it grows back."

Carter-Lewis's severe condition means a whole heart transplant is not a viable option, so this surgery will mean his pulmonary valve moved to replace his aortic valve, which will be replaced with a donor homograph valve.

The family are waiting to hear if a valve transplant is found for Carter, who has been given a pre-admission date for Friday, August 14.

Ashleigh said: "Carter-Lewis suffers really badly with anxiety as well and he struggles with being away from home and he won't let me leave him.

"I had to stop working to be at home with him and be at hospital, I used to work full time as a mental health coordinator."

Katie Sargent, a friend of Ashleigh, has set up a fundraising page to support the family with any associated costs of Carter-Lewis's upcoming hospital stay.

Writing on the page, Katie said: "The family have desperately been trying their hardest with the current Covid-19 situation to save as much as they can towards accommodation, travel expenses, food as well as home bills and day-to-day living for the children at home."

The page has been a huge success so far, with donations already exceeding the £1,500 target at £1,860.

Ashleigh said: "It's really, really amazing, we can't believe it.

"I wouldn't have got through this without the support we've had. It has taken a toll."

Ashleigh counts on support from family and friends Katie Sargent, who set up the funding page and also helps care for Carter-Lewis's siblings, as well as Rebecca Fett, and Catherine Lever.

Ashleigh also said Brett Owen, from Party Spiderman has been an amazing support for Carter-Lewis, who loves superheroes, Marvel and Toy Story.

Carter-Lewis has been shielding and been struggling during lockdown, but celebrated his fifth birthday last month with his 'bubble' of friends, featuring Brett as Spiderman, a visit from biker group The Rising Sun riders and Angie's ice cream.

Even a fire engine came by to give Carter-Lewis a special birthday surprise.

Katie said: "Let me take this opportunity to say a massive thank you to everyone who has or will help, you will never truly understand how much you are helping this family at such a difficult time."

If you'd like to donate to Carter-Lewis's JustGiving page, you can find it here.

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