The Powles family - River, Troy, Chance, Justice, Carly and Billy the dog.
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Rochester local River Powles is a HeartKids ambassador, having been born with congenital heart disease.
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“I found out that River had a heart defect at my 20-week scan,” River’s mum Carly Powles said.
“We were living in Orange at the time, and my husband was working in the mine, so we had to travel to Sydney for appointments and check-ups.
“River was delivered in Sydney at Westmead Hospital.
“I was induced, so it was a controlled environment and then when I pretty much delivered him, they took him straight over to Westmead Children’s Hospital because River wasn’t actually breathing.
“They got that under control, and he had surgery when he was three days old.”
The family returned to Rochester when River was one but had found out at his three-month checkup that he had had further complications with his heart, that would require open-heart surgery.
Through his family and their support, River was able to get through until he was in prep to have the surgery.
The longer they could push out the time frame, the more likely it was that maximising River’s growth would eliminate any potential reoccurrence and or additional operations.
River is now a very energetic, headstrong 11-year-old boy in grade five who is doing 11-year-old boy things.
Mrs Powles said that the cardiologist at River’s last appointment said he was doing fantastic and could now have annual appointments.
River will be required to be monitored regularly by a cardiologist for the rest of his life, to ensure that everything is as it should be.
Cheryl White, River’s mama, (grandmother) knows that by supporting HeartKids, they have become aware of how many other families and children in the area have gone through this situation and its impact.
“You would like to think that no-one else has gone through this, but this has created more real awareness out there and shows how much support is needed for those, not only children but families as well,” Mrs White said.
“HeartKids have been amazing in the support that they have offered, not just for River and his heart condition, but as a family unit as well.
“They support kids that have been through this journey.
“So again, while we are supporting them, they are providing us, our families, with that support as well.”
HeartKids is an Australian not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting and advocating for families impacted by childhood onset heart disease.
The Two Feet and a Heartbeat walk in Rochester on October 13 is for HeartKids’ families to pay tribute to their Heart Kids and reflect on our Heart Angels.
Join the Two Feet and a Heartbeat Walk, Rochester, and support children with congenital heart disease. Rochester Silos from 8.30am on Sunday, October 13, 2024.
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The broader community is encouraged to join the Rochester walk in support and raise awareness of childhood-onset heart disease.
Every day, eight children are born with a heart defect, that is, a family every three hours whose life will change in a heartbeat, with four lives tragically lost each week.
Childhood-onset heart disease is the leading cause of death in Australian babies under the age of one.
Over 80,000 Australian children and adults live with childhood-onset heart disease, with the impact extended to their many family members and carers.
Unfortunately, undergoing heart surgery is not a cure.
Children with congenital heart disease will face unique challenges for the rest of their lives and for many, this includes ongoing medical treatment and repeated heart surgeries.
River’s Run - Two Feet and a Heartbeat Walk Rochester is a 4km walk from the Rochester Silos on Sunday, October 13, with an 8.30am arrival for a 10am walk.
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