Meet Jasmine

At Heartbeat, we’ve been lucky enough to get to know Jas and her family. Here’s her story: 

During her mother’s 20-week pregnancy scan, Jas was prenatally diagnosed with four complex heart conditions:

1.       Congenitally corrected transposition

2.       Dextrocardia with large outlet VSD

3.       Pulmonary outflow tract obstruction due to accessory tissue attached to the aortic valve cusp

4.       Intermittent episodes of second and third-degree AV block

After receiving the diagnosis, Jas was closely monitored until birth, when she needed oxygen for a short time before being discharged from special care after three days. As a child, she coped well and was able to enjoy normal physical activities, although sometimes struggling with her stamina, and particularly enjoyed dancing – even taking part in various competitions.

Other than general check-ups and a couple of cardiac catheters to monitor her heart function, Jas didn’t visit the hospital much. However, her parents were aware that she would very likely need an operation at some point before her heart function deteriorated with the abnormalities she was born with. 

In January 2024, a CT scan was completed to produce a 3D model of her heart – and in March, she was put forward for elective open-heart surgery. Despite knowing that this would one day be needed, it was a tough decision for Jas’s family – she was doing well and the operation was large, especially at Jas’s age. 

What followed was a long and difficult wait. After months, the operation was booked for Friday 13 December.

Jas and her family arrived at the hospital on Thursday 12 December, the surgery took place at 9:00am on the Friday, and her parents were finally allowed to see her again in PICU at midnight.

Thanks to Heartbeat’s funding of Cardiac Youth Workers, Jas had the dedicated support of Becky and Kim both before and after her operation. They were there to help her understand what the procedure involved, ease her worries, and prepare her for what to expect. 

During the procedure, Jas had a surgical clamp stopping blood flow to the heart for 4 hours 37 minutes and her Cardiopulmonary Bypass Time was just over 7 hours. 

Following the closing of her chest and a pacemaker being fitted, Jas’s breathing tube was removed on Wednesday 18 December. It was then discovered that Jas had an adverse allergic reaction to Heparin, which caused her platelet count to drop and led to a significant fluid build-up. The hospital quickly decided to drain the fluid from Jas’s lungs on Christmas Eve – removing a total of 1.5L – and on Christmas Day, it was discovered that Jas also had blood clots, so more medication was needed to disperse them. Jas was finally allowed home on Monday 6 January following a successful transition to Warfarin blood thinning medication. 

After a phased return to school, Jas has gone from strength to strength. She has returned to her regular dance lessons and competitions, and there’s been a positive shift in her overall energy and stamina.

Heartbeat’s Cardiac Youth Workers also continue to support Jas emotionally and practically, encouraging her to be patient with herself, listen to her body, and take the time needed to recover. Their guidance is there to provide reassurance – not only during one of the most challenging periods of Jas's life, but also as she continues to grow and thrive. With Becky and Kim by her side, Jas and her family can feel safe in the knowledge that she will always have someone who understands the unique challenges of living with a heart condition.

At Heartbeat, we’ve always encouraged Jas to lead a normal and active life – and despite undergoing significant moments of stress and worry, it’s amazing to see how well she and her family have achieved this.