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WITHIN 24 HOURS of my arrival in this world, my breathing was noted to be very fast, and I was transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit in the Rotunda.
I underwent lots of tests and, the following morning, I was transferred to CHI Crumlin, where I was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome — a congenital heart defect where the left side of the heart, including the aorta, mitral valve and left ventricle are critically underdeveloped.
I had my first open heart surgery at four days old and had to battle through necrotising enterocolitis, which causes inflammation and tissue death in the intestines. I was treated with triple antibiotics and TPN, or total parenteral nutrition, a way of giving nutrition into the blood stream. It was about ten weeks before I eventually got home.
Over the next four years, I would have two more open-heart surgeries. In simple terms, these surgeries have led to a single ventricle circulation which means deoxygenated blood from my body goes straight to my lungs, picks up oxygen, then goes to my heart, and the right ventricle then pumps it back around my body.
My parents didn’t wrap me up in cotton wool when I started primary school. I did PE, swimming and took part in sports days and lots of extracurricular activities. I made many friends and loads of great memories.
Fast forward to 2020, when Covid hit and the dangers that came with it. I was hearing all the news about people with underlying conditions, and how Covid affected them. This really scared me at the time. I knew if I got it, that I could be seriously ill. Thankfully, I managed to avoid it in the early stages, and while I still ended up getting Covid, it was at a later stage when the vaccines came out, and I wasn’t very sick.
It was the year that I also began life in secondary school. I feel my heart condition started to affect me more from this point on. Longer days in school and growth spurts meant that my heart was working harder, making me feel more tired than usual.
I had been playing football for my local football club but, in second year, I had to stop, which was really tough. I was coming home from training and matches exhausted, sometimes vomiting from the extra work put on my heart. This really upset me. It still does to this day.
I could not play competitive football, but would still play casually with my friends. While I still did PE, I couldn’t join any school teams.
My family have been by my side since day one, helping me with everything from school to sport to social life, and keeping me healthy.
I have a younger brother and sister who have excelled in sport. My sister has won county finals and made it to the semi-final in Féile 2025. My brother plays football, GAA and hurling, and is going to be competitive in this next year. I’m very proud of their achievements, but it upsets me at times that I never got the chance to experience that feeling.
There have been a lot more ups and downs in recent years because I am more aware of my heart condition and its limitations. My mam and dad have gotten me through the good and bad days. They have made me who I am.
In February last year, my mam and I decided to go to The Beat Goes On conference, organised by Heart Children. This was my first experience of meeting people with heart conditions similar to mine. I found it interesting to hear other people’s opinions on their experiences with congenital heart disease.
Last July, I attended the European Youth Camp in Finland, meeting other teens from all over Europe with congenital heart disease. This was my first trip abroad on my own. I have made many friends and loved every second of it.
Growing up, I had to have extra vaccinations compared to my friends. This really upset me at the time, but now I realise their importance in keeping me well. My attendance in school has been affected by hospital appointments, and this sometimes makes it hard to catch up on schoolwork missed. I was really comfortable in CHI Crumlin, but now that I’m 18, I’ve had to transition to the Mater Hospital, which is very daunting.
I’ve always loved cars and, when I had to give up team sports, I fell in love with Formula 1 and car racing. I understand how important regular exercise is for my heart, so I am a member of my local gym and go there regularly. More recently, I have found a love for darts and have really enjoyed playing it.
I have major milestones in my life coming up soon. I am currently learning to drive and sitting my Leaving Certificate this June. My plan is to go to college in October and do either an Arts degree as a pathway to journalism, or study journalism itself, with a view to specialising in sports writing. If I can’t play sports, then my dream is to enjoy the next best thing, which is to write about it.
Although I have a heart condition, I won’t let this define the person that I am.
Written by Cian Morrissey. Heart Children’s “The Beat Goes On” conference, for people with congenital heart disease and their families, takes place in Dublin on Saturday 21 February, as part of Global Congenital Heart Disease Awareness Month. To register, visit www.heartchildren.ie.
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