SACHD - Helping Families Across Scotland

Edinburgh Branch

Who to contact

• Liz D'Agostino
  E-mail:edinburgh@youngheart.info

I’m Liz D’Agostino and I’m the Edinburgh branch contact.

From time to time we meet up for a chat and coffee or bowling at Fountain Park, Edinburgh. If you would like to be added to our mailing list and receive our Newsletter by email or 'snail mail' please get in touch.

Discovering that your child has a congenital heart condition can be a very scary experience, your world is turned upside down and you are left reeling from the shock. I know, my son Matthew was diagnosed with an AVSD at 16 months and was operated on very soon after at 18 months.

I know that each child’s condition is different from any other, even so I thought it might be useful for parents looking for information and support to hear a little about my “heart child”.

Matthew is now 14 and at 6 foot people are often amazed to find out he has a heart condition. He’s always on the go; we used to joke that they had put in Duracells when they operated! 

Over the years he has tried quite a few sports, football, swimming, judo and so on, but three years ago he discovered his passion, fencing.

He trains three nights a week and is doing very well. He was the 2005 Scottish Secondary Schools Under 14 Sabre Champion and in November 2006 he won the under 16 title. He was delighted to be picked, once again, to represent Scotland in the Junior Home International in February 2007 and is looking forward to competing in the UK Schools Games in Coventry in August.

I like to think that Matthew is not only a credit to us, his family, but also to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh whose care over the past thirteen years has been excellent.