Family of 'little fighter' Minnie McHale told second open heart surgery is now a certainty

The parents of 'little fighter' Minnie McHale have been told for certain that she will need a second round of open heart surgery in the near future.

As previously reported in the Yorkshire Evening Post, the seven-month-old's family was waiting to hear whether surgeons felt another high-risk operation was necessary after her first op was carried out when she was just 13 days old.

Minnie was born with a life-threatening heart condition called coarctation of the aorta - a narrowing of one of the arteries which sends blood around her body.

She had recovered well from her initial life-saving surgery at Leeds General Infirmary's congenital heart unit but recent tests had shown a valve in her heart was leaking.

Mum Tara Farrar, 32, of Carleton, Pontefract, said she has now had the call to say Minnie will need further surgery - likely before the end of the year.

She said: "She needs an MRI scan first to given them a clearer picture. I'm glad we finally have an answer, it's just the waiting now. I'd prefer to get it over and done with, as soon as possible.

"I was quite matter of fact [when we found out] but when you think about it all, I get emotional. As we get closer to it, that's when it will hit a lot more, obviously becoming more real.

"Hopefully once she has this one, she won't need any more.

"She might have some more when she's a teenager but that's a long time away. We won't think about that yet."

Tara previously told the Yorkshire Evening Post, Minnie is her "little fighter" for all she has gone through and described the youngster as a "cheeky, very happy baby".

She and fiance Alex McHale, 33, praised Minnie's medical care and the support they have received from the Children's Heart Surgery Fund (CHSF), which supports the congenital heart unit at LGI.

The Yorkshire Evening Post has this year launched our Have a Heart campaign, which aims to help the charity in its ambition to raise £1m through donations in 2020.

In October, Tara and Alex, who is a singer, organised a music night at a Castleford pub and raised £3,000 - split between CHSF and The Sick Children's Trust, which runs Eckersley House, where parents can stay while their child is at LGI.

Tara has also signed up to do a sky dive for CHSF in July.

"When they have helped so much and you've been through something like this, it makes you realised and want to give back," she said.

To sponsor Tara visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tara-farrar.

YEP's Have a Heart campaign

At the beginning of February, the YEP launched the Have a Heart campaign - our pledge to help the Children's Heart Surgery Fund (CHSF) in Leeds reach its £1m target for donations in 2020.

We will be running articles throughout the year to shine a light on the work the fund does to keep the congenital heart unit at Leeds General Infirmary beating.

Each year, the life-saving unit treats thousands of the region's poorliest children and adults.

To donate:

Visit chsf.org.uk/donate to give a one-off donation or to set up a regular, direct debit donation.

Or pay cheques to: Children’s Heart Surgery Fund at 3 Oxford Place, Leeds, LS1 3AX