Girl Born with Half a Heart Proves Herself a Real Fighter and Enjoys Her First Christmas Dinner

Anabelle Main was born with a congenital disability, but that will not prevent her from enjoying the first memorable Christmas with her loved ones. The young miss emerged triumphant in a series of surgeries following her family's support.

As the world struggled with the rising cases of the coronavirus disease, an English couple, Christine and Barry, welcomed their daughter, Annabelle Main, in January at St. Thomas Hospital in London.

After birth, the young princess weighed 4lb and was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, which meant she was born with half a heart. Despite her condition and many surgeries that followed, Annabelle proved to be a fighter by staying alive.

Girl born with half a heart enjoys her first Christmas dinner in a photo with her parents. | Photo: Facebook/Christine Main

UNWAVERING SUPPORT FROM MANY

The infant had her first surgery four days after birth, and five others followed. While people stayed at home following the lockdown rules, the Main family, a few miles away from home, supported their daughter, a patient at Evelina London Children's Hospital.

Christine tried to remain positive for her child but confessed that it was a challenging period for the family. Whenever the toddler was scheduled to report for surgery and during the procedure, they always felt fear until the entire process ended.

For every surgery, they thought about not seeing their child again. Thankfully, Annabelle fought through and progressed, inspiring hundreds of internet users—her mother shared the journey via a Facebook group, gaining fans who often check up and send in good wishes.

A few hours before the lockdown was relaxed in the country, Annabelle was free to go home. Her parents were excited to take their baby girl home for the first time.

Christine gushed at the news and talked about how overwhelming it felt to have strangers care for her child. She explained that those words of encouragement eased their burden in their fears and worries, and it was comforting.

WHEN THE JOURNEY BEGAN

Christine and Barry worked as supermarket managers and had planned to begin a family sooner than it happened. Following news of Christine's pregnancy, the couple was thrilled, and they looked forward to meeting their first child.

At 20 weeks, they realized the possibility of having a baby with an abnormality. Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow revealed that their unborn child did not have a whole heart.

The first time parents were informed that their daughter has a 57 percent chance of survival till school age. Yet, they have continued to remain positive following her recovery and are creating memorable moments for the tot who is set for her first Christmas dinner.

Many people, including her grandparents and staff of the Hospital, were impressed by Annabelle's fighting spirit, and experts at Evelina Hospital became motivated to begin a funding process that can help with psychological support for families with similar cases as the Main family.

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