A young girl from Ravenscar is continuing her brave battle against a serious heart condition as her family launch a foundation to help other families in similar situations.
Penelope, who was born last year, was diagnosed with Dilated Cardiomyopathy after initially being treated for sepsis when she was just 16 days old.
Her condition worsened, leading to a cardiac arrest. She now relies on a mechanical heart, known as a Berlin heart.
Penelope's father, Jordan, explained how the condition was discovered
Jordan says the family were left with little choice but to start fund-raising when it became clear the mechanical heart Penelope needed was not available in the UK at that time.
Faced with the urgent need for a Berlin heart, Penelope's family launched a fund-raising campaign with a target of £120,000. The response was overwhelming, and the goal was achieved in just three days, highlighting the strong community support for the family.
Since receiving the Berlin heart, Penelope has made encouraging progress. Jordan said that he "would have never ever believed that this would be happening at the beginning of February" and that she is "pretty much back there now from before this all happened". Penelope is now engaging in play and attending physiotherapy sessions where she is working on regaining her ability to walk. Jordan says she is "back to the Penelope that I can remember from being at home".
Penelope is still in need of a heart transplant, something which Jordan says could happen at short notice.
Jordan says that having the Berlin heart should prepare Penelope well for the full transplant and reduce her recovery time.
As a result of their fund-raising success the family have established Penelope's Little Heart Foundation, which is registered and awaiting final confirmation. Jordan says that the funds raised will be used to support other children and families facing similar heart conditions.
A fund-raising event will be held on Thursday, February 27th, at 7:30 pm at Snainton Village Hall. Originally planned for Ayton Village Hall, the event was moved to accommodate the high level of interest.
The event, a bingo night, is being organised by Nikki Jackson and has attracted significant interest and many donated prizes. Jordan has expressed his thanks to everyone involved and those who have donated prizes.
Both Jordan and his wife are in the army and have taken time off work to be in London with Penelope. They are also expecting another daughter in early April.
Despite the difficult circumstances, Jordan remains optimistic, saying that
"what can be achieved by the doctors and the nurses and just everyone who works in here, it's unbelievable".
He has also been in contact with others in similar situations, who have encouraged him to "keep going".
The family are also using their platform to raise awareness about the importance of organ and blood donation.
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