Last updated 10:15, Monday, 24 March 2008

LESS than three months ago, 12-year-old Abbie Ungless had open heart surgery but she is recovering so well that she is set to go back to school after the Easter break.

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Precious: Since she was a baby, Abbie has been taken to Newcastle for treatment and checks on her condition

Now her family, from Westnewton, near Aspatria, wants to say thank you to the hospital and its staff who have helped them all since Abbie was diagnosed with a serious heart condition at just two days old.

Her father Mick and brothers Karl and Craig, aged 18 and 21, are preparing to host a 24-hour pool marathon at the Portland Centre in Carlisle on April 5.

Meanwhile her mother Fiona, helped by Abbie’s twin Anita, is planning a car boot sale and family disco to take place at The Stocksman in Wigton on April 19.

All funds from the events will go to the Children’s Heart Unit Fund (CHUF), a charity which helps support the children’s cardiac unit and the paediatric intensive care unit at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle.

Abbie’s mum Fiona, a nursing assistant at the Cumberland Infirmary, said: “Abbie was born with a heart defect, aortic stenosis which is a narrowing of the main valve. She had open heart surgery on January 3 to repair a leaky aortic valve but we’ve been told she will need another operation. It is still leaking so they’ll be looking to replace the valve when she’s older.”

She added: “Abbie has been in hospital a number of times over the years but it had been getting worse. They decided last May that she’d need an operation but she wasn’t able to have it last November because she had a cold.

“So it was rescheduled and she went in at the start of the year. It went really well. She was meant to be in hospital afterwards for a couple of weeks but she was allowed home a few days early.

“But because Abbie may not have the other operation to replace the valve until she’s an adult, we wanted to do something now to say thank you to ward 23 at the Freeman.”

The family visited the ward on a monthly basis when Abbie was a baby and young child. Abbie now goes in for annual check-ups on her condition.

She is on medication to aid her condition, which if allowed to develop may have left her having to have a heart transplant.

During her recovery, Abbie received home tuition and was allowed to visit Beacon Hill School part-time.

She is now preparing to go back to classes full-time when her friends return on April 7.

But her heart condition prevents her from taking part in strenuous physical activities. She becomes breathless and tired easily.

Mum Fiona said: “It was Karl who really decided he wanted to do something. Both he and Craig play pool for local teams so they decided to hold a sponsored pool marathon but their plans have snowballed.

“Now there are about 15 or so players all set to take part. I only know so far that about four or five of them have more than £600 pledged.”

Heating maintenance engineer Mick has also been backed by his bosses at Monteray, the same company Karl works for in grounds maintenance.

The 24-hour sponsored pool marathon will start at 1pm on Saturday, April 5. The players will be using six tables at the Portland Centre on Currock Road.

Meanwhile the April 19 car boot sale will run from 10am until 4pm before the family disco starts at 7pm.

To sponsor the pool players or to book places at the car boot sale and disco, call the Ungless family on 016973 23991.