AT JUST four-weeks-old, the parents of tiny Abigail Wilkinson were told their baby had a heart murmur.

In July 2015, little Abby was diagnosed with two heart conditions – an atrial septal defect and pulmonary stenosis – problems that a consultant at the North Tees University Hospital in Stockton said would only be rectified with surgery when she was older.

Following a referral to a paediatric cardiologist at the Freeman Hospital, in Newcastle, Abby’s condition was closely monitored by a specialist every 90 days across a 20-month period.

Her parents, Caroline and Paul, from Stockton, continued to take her daughter for regular check-ups until earlier this year.

Mrs Wilkinson, a 33-year-old human resources manager, said: “Finally, in January 2017, after what seemed like forever, the doctor told us that Abby would have her surgery in the coming months.

“It was at this point that we were told about Scott House run by The Sick Children’s Trust.

“We were told that the charity could provide us with free accommodation just a few minutes away from where Abby would be recovering from her operation.

“Abby had open heart surgery at the end of May, just before the Bank Holiday weekend.

“We were only minutes way the whole time, so I was able to have peace of mind when I wasn’t with my daughter and needed to go to Scott House for a bit of rest.

“I knew there was a telephone line direct from the ward to my room and that the nurses would contact me if anything changed.”

Mrs Wilkinson continued to work while living at the donation-funded Scott House, using Wi-Fi and a quiet room to ensure she continued to keep normality despite their “world falling apart”.

She added: “Whilst my employer was fantastic and supported me throughout, jobs still need to be done and I wanted to ensure I was still being productive within the business, whilst my priority was to be there for Abigail.

“Our five-year-old daughter Charlotte even came to visit and she loved the playroom and all the attention the staff gave her.”

Abby’s painstaking operation was a success and she has since gone on to make a full recovery and enjoy the life of a happy, healthy toddler.

To thank The Sick Children’s Trust that operates Scott House, Mrs Wilkinson set a challenge of her own that she is halfway through completing.

“I had the idea to take on a weight loss challenge once Abby had recovered because I really want to raise as much money as I can for The Sick Children’s Trust to say thank you for being there for us when we needed them,” she said.

“I plan to lose five stone by next June and raise over £1,000 if I can.

“I am really motivated to reach my target as it's so important for me to be able to feel like I've done a little bit to help someone going through a similar situation to us, especially as someone else obviously gave money, time and effort to allow us the chance to stay in Scott House.”

Mrs Wilkinson’s fellow Slimming World group members in Eaglescliffe have kicked off the donations with £155 being added to an online fundraising page.