Southampton teen who wanted to pay for her3D heart raises £6,000 for cardiac charity

A 14-year-old girl from Southampton who set out to raise money for her 3D heart has collected more than £6,000 for cardiac charity Heartbeat.

Jasmine Bannister from Hedge End, who was born with Congenitally Corrected Transposition of the Great Arteries, where the left and right ventricles are swapped around, as well as a hole in her heart among other conditions, underwent complex heart surgery in December 2024.

She was one of the children to benefit from a ground-breaking 3D heart model – a pioneering project costing around £600 each and funded by cardiac charity Heartbeat. The models provide surgeons with a highly detailed, patient-specific heart replica to plan intricate procedures for babies and children.

One year after her surgery, while holding her 3D heart in her hand, Jasmine became determined to raise the money it would have cost Heartbeat to produce her precious heart model.

To mark the 26 days she spent in hospital, she set herself a 26‑day challenge: walking a mile each day, starting on 12 December 2025 - one year to the day since her surgery. Jasmine went on to smash her fundraising target, collecting a fantastic £6,203 for Heartbeat. With huge support from friends, family and the wider community, Jasmine also received kind donations from people who Jasmine had never met, but had followed her story and wanted to help.

Since her surgery, keen dancer Jasmine has gone on to win her very first competition – as well as countless trophies – embracing everything teenage life has to offer.

Jasmine said: “When I received treatment for my condition I wanted to say thank you to Heartbeat for all they have done to support me. I set out to raise the money for my heart, but thanks to the kind support from everyone, the £6,203 raised will, I hope, pay for more 3D hearts, so that more people can receive treatment and feel better sooner.”

Rebecca Bannister, Jasmine’s mum, said: “Jasmine’s 3D heart model played a major part in her surgery being a success. When she found out it was Heartbeat that had funded the model she wanted to help them help others in the same situation. She was very determined to complete her challenge around her school work and other commitments – like dancing. One day we couldn’t complete the mile walk until 11 o’clock at night, but Jasmine was determined in her commitment and I am so proud that she has raised so much money.”

Tanya Harder, Fundraising and Marketing Manager at Heartbeat said: “Thanks to such a generous donation from Jasmine, Heartbeat will be able to continue to fund projects like the 3D heart initiative, as well as provide support and care for patients being treated for heart conditions, and their families.”