Area Contacts

Kerry Auger - East London/Essex

Hello, I am Kerry Auger and I am married to Paul and we have two beautiful children, Thomas 4 and Isobel born August 2007. We live in Rayleigh, Essex. I am currently the ECHO area contact for East London and Essex.

Thomas was diagnosed with Hypo Plastic left heart syndrome when I was just 20 weeks pregnant, a complete shock for us as we had just gone along for our routine 20 week scan. After being born Thomas had the first of the three stage Norwood, performed by David Anderson, and has since had all three stages and a few other smaller procedures. Currently Thomas is doing extremely well, we had our first holiday to Florida this year, 2007 and are looking forward to many more, he is also starting school in January 2008. Thomas leads a full life doing swimming, Tennis and loves being a big brother.

ECHO plays an important role for us and has done for the past 4 years, I would like to offer support, information or any advice to families who may need it, so please contact me.

I look forward to hopefully meeting some of you soon.

east.london.essex@echo-evelina.org.uk

Eleanor Beardsley - South London

I'm Eleanor Beardsley and I joined ECHO in 2007 following the birth of my daughter Elise who was diagnosed postnatally with VSD. Elise had surgery at 7 months and further unexpected surgery at 19 months.  She is now almost 3 years old and doing brilliantly.  I was put in touch with ECHO via Lewisham Hospital where we were regular visitors for, amongst other things, tiny Elise's echo's.  It was at a very difficult time when we were really struggling with her feeding and on this and other issues, both medical and emotional, I have found those involved in ECHO to be a great source of support.  It is a real pleasure to support ECHO events and Elise is really enjoying them now too!  Please feel free to contact me as the area contact for South London if you want a chat about your own experiences.

south.london@echo-evelina.org.uk

Teresa Buchanan - Suffolk

Hi I'm Teresa Buchanan, I'm married to Wade and have two children, Alan who is 12 and Milly who is 8, Milly was born with multiple VSD's (holes in the heart) We live in Ipswich Suffolk, Milly was diagnosed with her heart problems when she was 8 weeks old, She had surgery at Guy's when she was 12 weeks old. It was the most frightening time of my life. While we were in hospital we had a visit form a lady who told us all about ECHO, and she gave us lots of support. After we had got over the shock of Milly's problems we went back to our every day routines, but I always felt that I owed something to ECHO after all the support they gave my husband and myself, So we became involved in fundraising and I wanted to be able to offer support to parents who were going through the same emotions as I went through, so that's when I decided to become an Area contact for the members in Suffolk.

So please if you ever have any worries and feel you want to speak to someone, please do get in touch; I'm always at the end of a phone line. It is nice to know that you are not going through these problems on your own.

suffolk@echo-evelina.org.uk

Jessica Cattermole - Sussex

I joined ECHO in December 2002, a few days after my daughter Isabel was born with Transposition of the Great Arteries.

During our stay in hospital I met members from ECHO, who were able to tell me of their own experience under similar circumstances and help me immensely. I have since received a huge amount of support and made many friends through ECHO.

I am very proud to work for ECHO as Deputy Director. I am also Area Contact for Sussex, a role that I share with Rosie Wheldal.

If you need any information on upcoming events, would like to organise a coffee morning or have any fundraising ideas, would like to meet other members, buy ECHO merchandise or just want a chat, then please give me a call or drop me an email. I work Monday, Tuesday and Thursday but if you leave a message I will get back to you as soon as possible.

sussex@echo-evelina.org.uk

Molly Crisp - Norfolk

We read in a newsletter that a representative was needed for the Norfok area, so we, the Crisps, decided it was a job that we should volunteer for. Just a little bit about us, we are a farming family who live in Gressenhall, Norfolk - Molly, Anton, Emily and Lucy and a chocolate Labrador Toffee. Lucy was diagnosed with heart problems in December 1994, but it wasn't until September 1999 that the severity of her problems came to light and she was admitted to Guys for cardiac catheterisation and open-heart surgery in November 1999. Like a large number of families we were overwhelmed by the support we received from the staff at Guys. Since then Lucy's health has gone from strength to strength, she is now a fit, healthy, tall lanky teenager and is able to do all the things other children can. As a family we decided that it was time we did a bit more for ECHO, so we volunteered to be the Norfolk representatives and hope to hold a few fundraising events in the near future.

norfolk@echo-evelina.org.uk

Diane de Naeyer - North London/Herts

Diane is our area contact for North London and Hertfordshire and would love to hear from you.

north.london.herts@echo-evelina.org.uk

Beverley Jowsey - Surrey

I am Bev Jowsey, the Surrey Area Contact. My son was born with TGA and a large VSD, it was undiagnosed until he was four-weeks-old and then all hell broke out and we went from the doctors to Guy's within seven hours, into ITU and then operated on three days later. Our life was a mess for the three weeks in Guy's with three other children at home to sort out. It was a juggling act but we managed. Dan had the arterial switch and is a strong fine little boy. I work part-time in the operating theatres at the local hospital so I am always busy but always eager to help or listen to other people. Take care.

surrey@echo-evelina.org.uk

Rosie Wheldal - Sussex

My Name is Rosie Wheldal. I am married to Jim (yes we have heard all the Rosie and Jim gags!) and we live in St Leonards on Sea, near to Hastings, East Sussex. I have three children Samuel, born September 2002, and Sara, born April 2004 and Lucie May born in 2007. Samuel was born naturally following a very healthy pregnancy weighing 6 lb 3 oz. Although presenting a heart murmur at birth, he was allowed home after six hours in hospital. To cut a long story short we were seen at Guy's when he was three weeks old and diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallots. We were warned to expect surgery in the next two-eight weeks. Thankfully he stayed very well and Conal Austin operated on Samuel when he was 26 weeks old. He had the full repair through open-heart surgery. He has had other health issues but, touch wood, is doing very well. His repair is fantastic and his scar barely shows. He is a very strong-minded child and is very full of himself (I am sure Conal Austin put the devil in at the same time!). Hope to meet you soon; please do not be afraid to contact me!

east.sussex@echo-evelina.org.uk

Fran Wintour - Kent

Hello my name is Fran Wintour, I'm 36, married to Matt and have two gorgeous boys, Harry aged 5 and Joseph 4 months old.

When my first son Harry was born, we were overwhelmed with happiness and joy. He looked and was perfect. Our shock came when we took him to our doctor for his 8 week check. We were told Harry had a heart murmur, which we later found out he had a large VSD and would need surgery to repair it. We felt completely numb and our lives were thrown into turmoil.

Harry went on to have successful surgery when he was 6 months and we have never looked back, in fact we couldn't believe how 'normal' he was after everything he had been through, it was amazing.

I felt I wanted to give something back so I decided to become a committee member for Echo. I have met some amazing people through Echo and feel like I have a second family.

My role within Echo is to support other parents of heart children. I am a pre-natel support contact providing telephone support to parents whose unborn child has been diagnosed with a heart defect. I am also the Kent area contact providing telephone support to parents of heart children.

prenatalsupport@echo-evelina.org.uk