Heart defects are the most common birth defects. Approximately 1 in 145 babies are born with congenital heart disease. For more than half of these babies, the condition is a minor problem which either doesn’t need any treatment, or can be successfully corrected with surgery after they are born.

Other conditions are more serious and sadly, some children with congenital heart disease do not survive. However, thanks to advances in early diagnosis and treatment, most children will grow up to become adults and lead full and active lives.

In May 2010 my daughter Grace was born with a congenital heart defect and severe feeding issues which has affected her quality of life. Grace received her first operation in April 2011 which was to repair the chambers of her heart so that it was pumping more effectively. This was successful however it is not uncommon for children with heart defects to have other issues, particularly feeding ones. Grace had to be fed via a gastro nasal tube since she was born.

She also suffered with extreme reflux (vomiting persistently).Following her heart surgery her feeding problems did not improve and subsequently she needed further major surgery on her stomach. So In December 2011 she had a fundoplication along with Gastrostostomy (feeding peg).Graces condition also affects her immune system and when she gets a cough or a cold this can go on for weeks rather than just a few days like you or I. We have been told by doctors to expect her condition to go up and down over the next few years which will mean regular visits and stays in hospital for weeks at a time. She is now 2 years old. Grace like other children born with these defects has been in and out of hospital for her whole life and will continue to be monitored throughout it. She will need further operations in the next few years and will continue to be monitored throughout her teens due to narrowing of the pulmonary artery. Her future remains uncertain.

As grace’s parents we are truly grateful that she has the ability to play, laugh and is a happy little girl, this is thanks only to advancement in modern technology on-going research and dedicated health professionals. Some children with heart defects are not so lucky. Heart defects account for a huge percentage of childhood mortality and morbidity. Twice as many children die from congenital heart defects than childhood cancers.

For this reason Myself and 7 other Royal Marine Commando’s will be running from Lympstone, Devon to Poole in Dorset. This takes place over 2 days from the 13th-14th of November 2012 covering 100 miles of the Jurassic coast climbing a total of 6,600ft. All this will be done with a log weighing in at a hefty 40kg with only 2 people on at one time. All proceeds will go to the mending broken hearts appeal, which have two sets of scientists taking an innovative approach to heart repair, looking at the cause of a heart defect which could hold new treatment clues. They need to raise £50 million to fund the groundbreaking research that could begin to literally 'mend broken hearts' in as little as ten years.