Photo: Courtesy Tiny Tickers
One of the best parts about Christmas for little ones is enjoying the twinkling lights any time you step out of the house. But many sick children don’t get to have this experience.
It’s a lesson 2-year-old Billy Hopkin learned the hard way because his heart condition —transposition of the great arteries, which occurs when the two main blood vessels leaving the heart are swapped — prevents him from traveling around his hometown of London. And every holiday season, local technicians set up an epic display in the historic Covent Garden neighborhood.
Billy Hopkin.Courtesy Tiny Tickers
Billy Hopkin and his mom Rebecca.Courtesy Tiny Tickers
Lights display in Convent Garden in London.Courtesy Tiny Tickers
Billy, for example, underwent a “traumatic” 13-hour operation in May 2016 at just 7 days old, according to a press release. He was diagnosed with TGA at his mom’s 20-week ultrasound. Billy’s recovered well over the past two years, but he’s only now “starting to find his feet,” the organization says.
“Christmas is meant to be the happiest time of year, but I think it’s very easy to forget that lots of families could be going through a really hard time,” Billy’s mom Rebecca explains in the release. “And sadly they don’t get to enjoy the holidays together.”
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Rebecca adds, “I really wanted to be involved in this idea because there’s been many Christmases where we’ve been in this situation, and I want other families to know they’re not alone. I think it’s really important to keep making noise and raising awareness about heart disease … So I really hope this activationencourages people to donate, even if it’s just a small amount.”
“Twinkle Twinkle Little Hearts” will last for 24 hours starting on Thursday.
source: people.com
