Omagh family given strength in tough times by heart charity

AN Omagh family has spoken out about the life-changing support they received from the Children’s Heartbeat Trust.

Kathryn and Clarke Irwin’s daughter, Rosa, was born in 2013 with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, a rare and complex congenital heart condition.

Within 24 hours of birth, Rosa was rushed to Birmingham Children’s Hospital for life-saving surgery. She had her first open-heart operation at just three-days-old.

“Rosa has had two further open-heart surgeries,” said mum Kathryn. “One at seven months and another when she’d just turned five. The Children’s Heartbeat Trust were by our sides through it all.”

Now aged 11, Rosa continues to face serious health challenges. She is on lifelong Warfarin medication which requires constant monitoring, a process made easier thanks to support from the charity.

“They provided us with an INR machine so we can monitor Rosa at home. That means fewer appointments, less trauma, and more control for us as a family,” Kathryn said.

“Currently, Rosa is stable and living life to the full, but we know that with her condition, the future will always be uncertain. Having the charity there gives us strength.”

Over the years, the charity has also provided counselling, financial support for travel, and even helped the family enjoy a much-needed break.

“It helped us get over our fear of taking Rosa away from home,” Kathryn added.

“We got to enjoy the beach and the playpark. It was more than a break – it was healing.”

The Children’s Heartbeat Trust, which celebrated its 40th anniversary last year, offers practical, emotional, and financial assistance to hundreds of families across Northern Ireland. In 2023 alone, it granted over £110,000 to families needing to travel for treatment and provided bedside emotional support to over 300 children.

Now, thanks to a new charity partnership, ViVO and ViVO Essentials stores will help raise funds and awareness throughout the year with events including an Easter raffle, abseiling challenge, World Heart Day activities, and festive fundraising.

Lynn Cowan, Fundraising Manager at Children’s Heartbeat Trust, said, “This partnership with ViVO will help us reach more families like Rosa’s and continue to provide the essential support they depend on.”

To learn more, visit www.childrensheartbeattrust.org.