Cardiac patient Charlie pursues different root for his boxing dream
Boxing-mad Charlie has vowed to pack a punch as a trainer after his dreams of fighting competitively were dashed following heart surgery.
The ten-year-old, from Leamington Spa, was born at our Women’s Hospital in 2013 with a heart defect, which means he can’t risk being hit in the chest and his aspirations of lacing up the gloves in the ring are now out for the count.
But following expert cardiac care at our Children’s Hospital, Charlie refuses to be knocked down and has pledged to build a career as a professional trainer.
Charlie said: “I asked my doctor if I could fight competitively but he said no as I can't get hit in the chest. I said ‘that's fine, I will be a coach instead’.”
Dad Kurt said: “We’re so proud of Charlie for having such a positive attitude and for not giving up. Charlie also started campaigningto have adefibrillator in his gym, as he knows how important it is to have the right equipment in the right place.”
Charlie was born in November 2013 with a transposition of the great arteries, a heart defect where the two main blood vessels leaving the heart are swapped over. He had surgery at just two hours old to reconnected his main blood vessels to their proper ventricles, a procedure called arterial switch.
Dad Kurt explained: "We found out at o ur 20-week scan that Charlie had a heart condition. We were really worried, but we had a walk around the Women's Hospital before Charlie was born and the cardiac team came to meet us to talk us through what would happen.
“When he was a week old, he was then moved to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at the Children's Hospital and was sent for open heart surgery. It was a really horrific time, but the staff at the hospital were absolutely amazing.
“The PICU and cardiac team really looked after us as a family. They made sure we had a place to stay and even managed to get Charlie home for Christmas. We can’t put into words how thankful we are.”
With BWC’s expert clinicians in his corner, Charlie’s surgery went well and he thrived at home. Ever since, the family has been attending the hospital for regular check-ups.
Kurt added: “We see our consultant Dr Dhillon every year to check up on Charlie, and Charlie tells him all about his boxing.” Charlie said: "Dr Dhillon is really nice, all the staff we meet are great and look after us.”
Following his big brother's footsteps, Charlie became a massive fan of boxing and regularly practised at his local gym. And despite his dreams of boxing now on the ropes, he has vowed not to throw in the towel. He has already started helping with coaching at his club and hopes to take up a more heavyweight role professionally when he comes to graduate from the amateur ranks.
His campaign to install a defibrillator in the gym is already punching above its weight, with electrical wholesaler YESSS Electrical agreeing to kindly to sponsored him and surprised him at the gym recently to present the new equipment.