Devoted Noah, six, gets on his bike for Leeds hospital unit which saved his baby brother's life

Noah Bullock, six, cycled 16km at the weekend for the ‘Virtual 10k’ fundraising event in aid of the Leeds Children’s Heart Surgery Fund (CHSF), which supports the congenital heart unit at Leeds General Infirmary.

The unit is where Noah’s little brother Roman, now 11 months, has twice had open heart surgery after he was born with a rare, life-threatening heart defect which left a hole in his heart and meant his aorta connected to the right ventricle, instead of the left.

Mum Stacey Simpson, 36, of Meanwood, said: “I’m so proud of both my boys. As Noah says, Roman has been born with a broken heart but it’s going to be fixed. It just makes me feel so grateful.

“Their bond’s amazing. Noah just gives Roman anything he wants. He is so loving and caring. Noah has been saying he’s been raising the money for people who really need it. He understands how important they have been for Roman and just wanted to give something back."

Noah joined dad David Bullock, 37, on Saturday and together they managed to raise over £400 for CHSF.

Stacey said Roman's recovery so far has been “amazing” and he is hitting all his milestones despite his tough start to life.

The family was told he had a heart problem during a scan while Stacey was pregnant - but it wasn’t until he was born that his defect was fully diagnosed.

Stacey said: “I was devastated. I just thought I was going to lose him. They said there are things they can do to repair it but they just didn’t know [how he would be].”

His first surgery was carried out at just 12 days old and after a stint in intensive care and on ward 51, he was well enough to go home three weeks later.

But at seven months, doctors decided he needed a second procedure to connect the pulmonary artery directly to his lungs, leaving him with just one working ventricle.

The surgery was carried out on March 17 - just days before the Covid-19 lockdown and the new hospital rules, when his anxious parents were then forced to choose who stayed with him while he recovered.

Stacey said: “To cope with it on your own was really hard but he came home after a week.

“He’s just done amazing. He’s come so far.

“There was a time when we first had him that we didn’t think he was going to make it. All our family came to visit him. We just didn’t know - his future was so uncertain.

“Every time he has gone for an appointment I have been really worried but they are always so pleased with everything he’s doing.

“After surgery, you can’t go on your tummy for six weeks so for 12 weeks of his life he’s not been able to have any tummy time. But he’s crawling, he’s pulling himself up on furniture - I think he’s done amazing. I’m just so proud of him.”

The family now have to wait and see whether surgeons will be able to repair his heart when he's older or whether he will ultimately need a heart transplant.

"We just have to wait until he’s two or three. His next clinic appointment will be just after his first birthday and we’ll just keep going and as long as everything is alright, we just wait to see what’s next," she said.

This is the third time the family has raised money for the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund and earlier this month Stacey also sent in a heart-warming picture of a smiling Roman to support the charity’s ‘ScarSelfie’ day in June.

She said: “People look at Roman and see his scar and go ‘Oh my God’ and I think it’s a bit frightening for people. For me, it was frightening at first but I’m so proud of him and I’m so proud of his scar and how far he has come. He’s had two open heart surgeries and to look at him, he’s like any normal baby.”

She paid tribute to the charity and the unit it supports, adding: “I can’t thank them enough for everything they do - they are fantastic, his surgeon, the nurses, everyone.”

The CHSF Virtual 10k was organised after the postponement of the annual Leeds 10k with CHSF bosses asking its supporters to instead run, walk, scooter, cycle or even walk the dog to complete the distance from 9.30am on Saturday July 5.

Last year, CHSF received £6,000 from runners of the Leeds 10k - but supporters of this year's Virtual 10k have smashed that total and raised over £10,000.

Sharon Milner, CEO of the Children's Heart Surgery Fund, said: "We are thrilled to receive such incredible support for Children's Heart Surgery Fund's Virtual £10k. Our supporters have risen to the challenge, and raised more than the previous year - it just goes to show how inspirational people can be. We are extremely grateful.”

*YEP's Have a Heart campaign

The Yorkshire Evening Post launched a Have a Heart campaign earlier this year, to help the Children's Heart Surgery Fund (CHSF) reach its £1m target for donations in 2020.

Since the coronavirus pandemic hit, CHSF has been forced to issue an urgent plea for donations after losing a "significant portion" of its yearly income - thought to be around £300,000 over the next few months.

To donate to their appeal visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/CHSF-heart-unit-needs-you

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. These are challenging times but the team at the Yorkshire Evening Post need your support more than ever in the weeks ahead.

While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you. In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you - wherever possible and providing it is safe for you to do so - to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Inevitably falling advertising revenues will start to have an impact on local newspapers and the way we continue to work during this period of uncertainty. So the support of our readers has never been more important as we try to make sure that we keep you connected with the city you live in during this time. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. We need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

Our team of trusted reporters are working incredibly hard behind the scenes - from kitchen tables and spare bedrooms - to look at how we can do this and your continued support to the YEP will help to protect its viability in the days and weeks ahead.

For more details on our subscription offers please visit www.localsubsplus.co.uk/YEP, email [email protected] or call us on 0330 4033004.

Thank you

Laura Collins

Editor