LITTLE Benjamin Tucker sits happily on his mum’s lap; he has a smile that melts the hearts of anyone who meets him as he reads his book about farmyard animals.

But life hasn’t been an easy ride for the toddler, who was born three weeks early and needed open heart surgery to survive.

“Ben surprised us all by coming early,”

explains mum, Helen, 37. “He was very tiny only weighing 5lb.

“My husband Adrian and I were just about to take him home when the doctors doing their final checks uttered the terrible words, ‘there is something wrong with Benjamin’s heart.’ “The rest of that day and, in fact, the next few days were a blur of tests, wires, tubes, and the phrase heart murmur.”

Ben, who is almost two years old, was referred to Ocean Ward at Southampton General Hospital and after heart scans and appointments with consultants, he was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot – a form of congenital heart disease – and his parents were told that he would need surgery to correct it.

“Although his birth weight was low, Ben didn’t really have any signs or symptoms that he was suffering from TOF,” says the teacher. “We were told to take him home and build him up ready for his operation.

“So that’s what we did.”

Ben had his operation when he was just five months old and thanks to the specialist team of surgeons, cardiologists, doctors, nurses and carers – he was out of intensive care within 24 hours and back at home recovering well within ten days.

“They all helped to save my son’s life,” says Helen. “I have no doubt that if he never had the surgery – he would not be here today.

“The day of Ben’s operation was the longest day of our lives. But, the surgery was extremely successful and apart from the scar on his chest, you would never know that he has CHD and had open heart surgery.”

The family stayed on Ocean ward for a week, and Helen admits that was an extremely short stay considering the complex nature of his surgery and the fact that some families are there for several months.

Helen also goes on to say that they were put in contact with Families of Ocean Ward – a charity that was set up, and run, by volunteers who all had children suffering from CHD – with the aim of providing emotional and financial support for families.

They help to bridge the gap between home and hospital by putting families in touch with others whose child has a similar condition and experience of comparable problems and issues.

A large proportion of the funds raised are used to assist families financially during long stays on Ocean Ward and where needed, the charity are able to purchase essential equipment to assist families caring for their child at home.

Helen says that the support that she and her family received from them was invaluable.

“Families of Ocean Ward have been, and still are, an incredible lifeline for Adrian and I.

“Via the wonders of social media I could ask questions, or ask for help, without feeling like a fool. I received lots of helpful suggestions and ideas from people, all with one connection – our children have, or sadly in some cases had, CHD and have stayed on Ocean Ward. They are very much like an extended family to me.”