Balham shop volunteer, Lindsey Brown, has shared her inspirational son’s journey living with a heart condition, and how his creativity and passion continues in his memory.
Alfie was born with a congenital heart defect, Transposition of the Great Arteries, where the two main arteries coming out of the heart are the wrong way round. He had his first operation at just two months old and then another operation known as ‘The Switch’ at one year old to switch the arteries back.
At 12 years old, it was discovered Alfie had a leaky valve, and he had an operation to have this mended. But at 21 years old the valve became too leaky, and he was operated on again with a mechanical valve replacement.
Despite the many hospital trips, Alfie continued to live life as full as possible. Alfie’s mom, Lindsey, proudly shares how much he loved life, travelling to Thailand, and Vietnam, and taught himself how to play guitar - one of his favourite bands being Fleetwood Mac. He had a passion and gifted talent for creative writing and poetry and studied History and English Literature at Birmingham University.
His passion really shone through his life as he started writing a fantasy themed book as a teenager, which he continued to write through lockdown. Alfie’s wish was that if anything was to happen to him, his book was to be finished and published.
Sadly, on 30 June 2020, at 23 years old, he had a Cardiac Arrest while out playing football with his friends and died in the early hours of 1 July. He didn’t finish his book or make it to his graduation.
Lindsey and his family attended and picked up his certificate and portfolio at graduation day in honour of Alfie.
Following this, using Alfie’s notebooks, transcripts and laptop, Alfie’s friends picked up his story and continued it for him, to fulfil his final wish. Alfie hoped his story, called ‘Tales from the Canal’ (named in homage of the well-known canals of Birmingham) was that readers gain an insight into the heart condition, understand how he and other people feel living with the condition, spread awareness as well as give something back.
Lindsey explains, “It’s a fantasy book for older teens/adults - it’s optimistic, and sad, but hopefully will help other people understand what it’s like to have a condition like this. His cleverness with metaphors and symbolism shows throughout the story, linking a real-life condition with a fantasy story to make it more relatable.”
Lindsey is hoping that the proceeds from the book will be split across British Heart Foundation and First Story charity. “To get this book out will be Alfie’s legacy.”
For many years Lindsey worked in beauty, but for the last two years has been volunteering at the Balham shop, to give something back in Alfie’s memory. Lindsey said how supportive and wonderful the shop has been and has since taken on a paid part time role there, which she’s looking forward to starting in July, coinciding with the 5-year anniversary of Alfie’s passing.
The book is currently with the publishers, but Lindsey hopes the launch will be in Balham later in the year.
“My primary priority in this world is to tell a story, under the belly of which lies a secret, a solution for contentment amongst humanity when I’m gone.
“It may not happen in my lifetime but by goodness I will sow the seeds. Indeed I shall sow the seeds for a better world.”
- Alfie Jack Brown, 1997-2020