HE may only be 12 years old, but brave Charlie Marshall has undergone a staggering 14 operations in his short lifetime – all of them at threatened Leeds General Infirmary.
And his parents firmly believe he wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for the care he received at the children's cardiac unit.
Born with a rare heart condition that left him with half a heart and which will one day see him need a heart and lung transplant, Charlie underwent his first operation at just nine weeks old.
Now, after lengthy talks into the night, it has been announced today that heart surgery is to resume at Leeds General Infirmary, following its suspension last week, much to the relief of his family.
They have spoken of their constant fear of what might happen if he falls ill and needs urgent care.
Mum Megan Marshall, 41, from Laceby, explained: "Any child who has a complex heart condition must have a paediatric cardiac anaesthetist team present at any operation, whether that's having their tonsils out or exploratory surgery.
"More importantly, the cardiac team has to be there if the child has a car accident or something like appendicitis.
"Say Charlie got acute stomach pains tonight at 9pm and it turned out to be appendicitis, he would need an operation urgently, but Grimsby or Sheffield could not perform this.
"An air ambucopter couldn't fly after dusk and if Leeds was shut, then by the time a fast response ambulance got him to Newcastle, it would be too late."
NHS bosses suspended children's heart surgery at Leeds last Thursday – just days after a High Court judgment ruled it should be saved from closure.
It was claimed surgical standards and high mortality rates were the reason behind the suspension, but Megan says she knows first-hand that is not the case.
Charlie's dad Richard, 42, said: "I would like to ask the question of the head of the NHS what he would do if our boy suffered a burst appendix at 10.30pm, how he would arrange to get an operation for him if Leeds is suspended? It is the only place he can go to because the NHS policy is for heart patients to only have treatment at designated units with the proper paediatric cardiac anaesthetist team.
"Newcastle would be too far for him to travel."
Richard said his son had grown up with the same nurses, doctors and surgeons at Leeds General Infirmary.
He said: "They are like family. Charlie has faith in them all and there is a strong sense of trust. That would not be there if he had to go to Newcastle and meet a whole new set of doctors who he did not know and, crucially, they do not know him."
He added: "The team at Leeds have been together for years.
They are brilliant.
"We have met the families of three or four children who have died at the unit, but the parents remain totally in support of it. You have to give the surgery a chance.
"I would always take Charlie to Leeds straight away because the surgeons are fantastic."
The parents said they felt "in limbo" not knowing what future treatment could be available and where.
But Richard was still able to take Charlie to Wembley to watch Grimsby Town.
Megan added: "Charlie has had 14 operations, three of them open heart operations lasting eight hours each.
"There was more chance of him dying than living, yet here my son is, 12 years old, alive and very well.
"Over Charlie's life, we have spent a great deal of time at Leeds, sometimes eight weeks at a time, and we only got through due to family visits and being able to see our other five children.
"In Newcastle, we would not have that support as it is way too far to return travel for a couple of hours' visit.
Megan added that the future of the unit at Leeds could be crucial to Charlie's health in the future.
She added: "He is by no means cured, his care is palliative and his future is a heart and lung transplant.
"News of the suspension caused devastation to us all.
"Living with Charlie's prognosis is scary but this decision was far worse."
Reacting to news that children's heart surgery is to resume at Leeds General Infirmary, Grimsby MP Austin Mitchell said: "I'm very glad to hear surgery is being resumed. It is good news for parents, children and the consultants living in our area." Cleethorpes MP Martin Vickers added: "This is welcome news. Clearly there were some doubts about the decision taken by Sir Bruce Keogh to suspend surgery last week."Keep checking on www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk for updates on the future of surgery at Leeds General Infirmary For a full feature on the background to the hospital unit decision see tomorrow's Grimsby Telegraph. Full details of the fight to save the Leeds unit can be read at www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk.
