A schoolboy is fundraising for charity this festive season after his dad’s health scare made him want to make a difference.

Spencer Wheeler, from North Weald in Essex, is wearing a different Christmas hat every day of December to raise money for the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

He was inspired by his dad’s life-saving operation over the summer after he suffered a heart attack.

Spencer, 12, said: ‘When people see me wearing my hats they’re often really surprised because some of them are very over the top.

‘It is a bit of fun and I like wearing them because they make people happy. My favourite is one of a knitted turkey which is very funny.

‘I’m really excited about Christmas this year as Dad is feeling so much better, so we’ll be able to play some games together this year.

‘I only expected a couple of pounds, so I just want to say a big thank you to everyone who has donated to help the BHF.’

Just before Christmas 2021, Spencer’s dad Scott was diagnosed with a thoracic aortic aneurysm – a weakened and bulging part of the body’s main artery – which can cause dangerous internal bleeding if it isn’t spotted in time.

Then Scott, a 50-year-old warehouse worker, had a heart attack on Boxing Day morning.

His wife Julie, 49, said: ‘Scott woke up feeling very unwell. He had a pain in his chest that was going up into his neck. We now knew about the aneurysm, so I was petrified.

‘We had to wait three hours for an ambulance. I didn’t know whether to take him to the hospital in the car or wait for the ambulance. It was very scary, but Spencer was awake by this time, so I knew I had to control my emotions as I didn’t want to frighten him.’

One of his heart valves was found to be damaged and medics debated whether to carry out emergency surgery, but discharged him on New Year’s Eve.

What is an thoracic aortic aneurysm?

According to the British Heart Foundation, an aortic aneurysm is a swelling or bulging at any point along the aorta – the main artery in the body that carries blood away from your heart to the rest of the body.

An aneurysm usually occurs where the wall has become weak and has lost its elastic properties, so it doesn’t return to its normal shape after the blood has passed through.

Some aneurysms have no signs and can be found during investigations for other conditions, but symptoms can include:

• Pain in the jaw, neck, and upper back
• Chest or back pain
• A persistent cough
• Hoarseness
• Difficulty breathing

He had to wait six months for open heart surgery due to the backlog caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

‘The wait was even more stressful than Scott’s heart attack,’ Julie added. ‘I was worried if he did anything the aneurysm would burst.

‘He had to live with the condition for six months and during that time his health really deteriorated. His breathing was difficult, and he didn’t even have the strength to walk up the stairs.’

He eventually had surgery in June and has slowly regained his fitness and returned to work part-time last month.

Julie said: ‘Last Christmas was very low-key as no one felt very festive. So, this year, we are really going for it – decorations, big traditional dinner, we are going to do the whole shebang.’

Spencer has so far raised £400 through his unconventional advent calendar.

He sends supporters a new picture of himself wearing a different hat each day, from his collection of 40 festive-themed pieces of headgear which he has been gathering since the age of five.

The BHF is urging people to donate this festive season to help fund its life-saving research into heart and circulatory diseases. The charity’s ‘gift that keeps on living’ campaign is highlighting stories like Scott’s to show how vital the BHF’s work is for heart patients and those close to them.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Source: Read Full Article