A LOGAN Village family will push itself to the limit next month as it celebrates a huge milestone in the life of son Kye.
Angela and Dean Richardson and their extended family will complete the 10 kilometre Bridge to Brisbane on August 30 as a birthday present to their son, who turns 10 on August 16.
Ms Richardson said Kye, who was born with half a functioning heart, was not expected to see his second birthday, let alone his 10th.
“Ten years is a big milestone for us, so I decided that we would do the 10 kilometeres for 10 years,” she said.
The family is aiming to raise $10,000 for HeartKids along the way.
Ms Richardson said Kye’s journey had been long and emotional for her family, which also includes her older children Taneisha, 14 and Caleb, 13.
She said at just two hours old, Kye underwent his first heart surgery in Brisbane.
More surgery was needed at three months, but by the time he was nine months old doctors were providing the family with little hope.
“They said to take him home and if we had him to 18 months to feel thankful for it. But for me I needed to know that I’d exhausted every possibilty,” she said.
The couple took Kye to Sydney, where alternative surgeries were offered to them.
“The chances of him coming out were very slim, but it was better than the alternative,” Ms Richardson said.
“But it was successful and allowed him to go on to have his next two stages.”
Today, Kye’s heart functions on just one ventricle.
As a result, he is limited physically but otherwise lives life to the full.
“He’s not allowed to do competitive sports (but) it certainly hasn’t limited him in his schooling or anything like that,” she said.
Ms Richardson said the support of the HeartKids charity, for which she now works, was invaluable during Kye’s early years.
She said it was an honour to be able to share her family’s story with those facing similar situations.
“It was hard (to choose the surgery), but I talk to a lot of families in similar situations and I say it’s not the doctors and nurses that have to wake up with the decisions you make, you have to live with your decisions,” she said.
To donate visit https://b2b2015.everyday hero.com/au/angela