By Gillian Ellison

Last updated 15:46, Wednesday, 28 January 2009

IT was both the best and worst of Christmases for one Whitehaven family.

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The worst – because Katelyn McAleavy had to undergo a third life-saving heart operation. And the best – because the four-year-old survived it and has since been given a new lease of life.

Her parents, Amy Lamb and Gareth McAleavy, of Fell View Avenue, spent the festive period in the north east while Katelyn endured yet more surgery.

During her first four years of life, the little girl has gone through three big operations at the Freeman Hospital, in Newcastle.

“She has had so much done to her in four years that it is incredible that she is here, it shows us how strong she is,” said mum Amy. “And it’s thanks to the Freeman, it’s the best hospital ever.”

Katelyn was born with a serious heart defect – hyperplastic left heart syndrome – which meant that only half of her heart worked properly. It affects one in every 10,000 babies.

The couple were devastated to learn of the condition soon after Amy’s 21-week scan. Statistics suggest that only three babies in every 10, who have the condition, survive. After Amy’s emergency Caesarean at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary, Katelyn was taken straight away to the Freeman Hospital.

At just five days old she had her first operation to put a shunt into her heart, which acted as a ventricle, keeping her alive.

After seven weeks Amy and Gareth were allowed to take their daughter home, but a short time later she caught bronchiolitis, a respiratory infection.

An ambulance took her back to the Freeman Hospital but, as it was during the time of the bad floods that struck Carlisle, it meant Amy and Gareth could not reach the hospital until two days later. But Katelyn recovered and was back home after a fortnight.

At eight months old, a second operation was performed to increase the size of the shunt to ensure Katelyn was getting all the oxygen she needed.

From then on, every six months, she had a check up and every week a nurse checks how much oxygen is flowing around her body.

“Her final operation was on December 23 after we found out that only three-quarters of Katelyn’s body was working properly with oxygen,” said Amy.

“So the operation diverted the blood and oxygen flow so they were working together.

“It was the worst and best Christmas all at once,” she said. “We had to leave Emmerson (the couple’s 19-month-old son) behind and knew that Katelyn had to go through another operation.”

The couple said their goodbyes to their daughter, expecting her to be in theatre for five to eight hours. “It was the longest day ever,” said Amy, 22.

But after four hours Katelyn’s operation was over and she was in intensive care.

“It was the best Christmas present ever,” said Amy. “I could not believe how well she had done, she looked incredible compared to after her other operations.”

The family returned home on December 30. “It is like she has been given a new lease of life, she would normally fall asleep but now she is full of energy.

“We have to take each day as it comes. This is the last operation that they can do for her,” said Amy.

Katelyn returned to the Freeman on Tuesday for further tests.

Amy said: “The fluid in her right lung is still there but the consultant was not too concerned about putting a drain back in, in case it upsets the heart. He said her lungs and heart sounded fine.

“He has put her on a daily dose of aspirin and we have to go back in three weeks time to keep an eye on things.’’

Katelyn, who attends Kells Infant School’s nursery, may have to have a heart and lung transplant in the future, when she is a teenager. And naturally, her family are keen to raise awareness of organ donation.

“There aren’t enough donors in the world and it is so important if it can save someone else’s life,” said Amy.

The whole family have survived a great deal of trauma over the past four years. “We’ve got through it by being together as a family and trying to make things as normal as possible for Katelyn,” said Amy. “The support from family, and everyone, has been absolutely great.”

Amy’s dad, Steven Lamb, and his colleagues at Sellafield police took part in the Cumbrian Run, raising £1,434 for the Freeman Hospital.