Kerrie was a runner up at our 2022 Heart Hero awards in the “outstanding achievement” category for her fundraising efforts as part of the Heart of Gold fundraising group.
Kerrie’s journey
After being diagnosed with a congenital heart condition at five months old, Kerrie underwent surgery to correct the narrowing of the aorta. From that moment on she was able to thrive and live a normal childhood with the occasional check-up when needed.
However, at the age of 28 years old, Kerrie was undergoing a routine test at the Royal Brompton Hospital when she was told something didn’t look right during the MRI. They discovered her aortic valve wasn’t working effectively and was letting blood back into her heart – and it has enlarged to twice its normal size.
Six months later she had open heart surgery to replace it with a pig tissue valve, and then had to have it replaced again with a cow tissue valve in 2015.
Kerrie went on to have a “perfect” baby boy, Walter, after getting the green light to conceive from her doctors.
But in May 2021 Kerrie got very sick again and it became the most traumatic year of her life.
After experience breathlessness and chest pain at work she called her husband to tell him something was seriously wrong.
‘Deep down I knew I was dying, although I didn’t tell him that,’ she said.
She was diagnosed with sepsis caused by infective endocarditis, a rare and potentially fatal infection of the inner lining of the heart. Her organs including her bowels and liver had started to shut down.
‘The bug went straight to the weak part of my heart which is the replaced valve and sat on it. It basically destroyed my heart.
Kerrie was told her only chance to survive was to undergo very risky surgery. The operation took 19 hours, and a vein was taken out of her left leg to put into her heart which has left Kerrie disabled.
As she slowly emerged from her induced coma, her husband Tom told her, ‘You need to come back to us now.’
Kerrie said: ‘And from that moment on, I did.
‘I had to relearn to speak and walk and use my hands again… it was horrific.
‘I don’t even think the doctors and the surgeon could believe that I had made it…because I couldn’t.’
Although her kidneys have been left badly damaged, operating at 36% of their maximum function, doctors are ‘very happy’ with the condition of her heart at the moment.
‘But I’m just happy to be alive and my goal is to be a mummy for as long as I can.’
Kerrie’s fundraising
Kerrie is now leading the Hearts of Gold fundraising group who have already raised £12,774 since they started in November 2022. They hold regular beauty raffles, panel and networking events and competed in a boat race in September 2023.
Bryony Blake, Strictly Come Dancing and Good Morning Britain make-up artist and best friend of Kerrie joined them at their most recent panel event.
We can’t wait to see what they have planned for the future.
