Two-year-old's heart condition inspires grandmother's fundraiser

Willow Seagrave has Dilated Cardiomyopathy – her heart works at just 20 per cent capacity and, at three-weeks-old, she was resuscitated for 50 minutes after a cardiac arrest.

Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People has been invaluable in helping Willow cope with her condition and grandma Mandy Gundle wants to thank them by taking on the Loughborough Firewalk next month – on coals heated to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit – to generate funds for the charity.

Mandy said: “Rainbows have done so much for Willow and her parents, Chloe and Cole, and I wanted to be able to give something back.

"My family has always supported Rainbows, and Chloe volunteered there when she was younger.

"Never for one second do you think you will see the other side of it.

"It really brings home how little funding Rainbows gets and how much they rely on fundraising.

“The thought of walking on the hot coals petrifies me.

"But what Willow and Chloe have faced is way more challenging than me walking on hot rocks so I know I can do it for them.”

In 2023, Willow was in hospital because she had been projectile vomiting and within 20 minutes she went into cardiac arrest.

Medics performed CPR for 50 minutes in total. After 30 minutes the little girl regained consciousness for 10 minutes but then crashed again and had to have CPR for a further 20 minutes.

Willow stayed in the children’s intensive care unit for eight days but, amazingly, she had suffered no brain damage.

She has since had an operation known as the Hickman procedure – which is where a central line catheter is placed on the right side of the chest wall to enable long-term access to veins.

The family have been supported by Rainbows in many different ways.

They have stayed at the hospice together and Chloe and Willow attend baby group, coffee mornings and parent and carer group – which all help Chloe to not feel isolated.

Mandy added: “I know it is a cliche but I didn’t want Willow to go to Rainbows because it is a hospice, and I didn’t know what to expect.

"But it is such a happy place, and I see how relaxed Chloe is there.

"She has made some really good friends, who are so supportive and they all understand what each other is going through.”

Participants in the firewalk will take part under the expert guidance of double Guinness World Record Holder for the greatest distance walked on fire – Scott Bell - from UK Firewalk.

Claire Hoggan, Rainbows senior events officer, added: “Willow is such a popular little girl at Rainbows and it is lovely to see her ‘Mamma’ getting involved in fundraising.

"This is a great and fun event, and we really hope people will join Mandy and support children like Willow.”

Go to www.justgiving.com/page/mandy-gundle-2 to sponsor Mandy on her coal walk.