Blister on baby's lip leads to heart discovery

Gloucester parents Gabrielle Bryan and Tyler Rees were not expecting Bertie's diagnosis after a "pretty healthy pregnancy"

A three-month-old baby is facing open heart surgery after being taken to A&E with a tiny blister on his lip.

Gloucester couple Gabrielle Bryan and Tyler Rees were told their then-six-day-old baby's blister was not a concern, but doctors found he had a heart murmur.

A scan revealed Bertie had a ventricular septal defect (VSD), meaning he had a large hole in his heart.

The couple's army friends are now raising money to raise funds for Heart Heroes, a Gloucester-based charity that has been supporting them.

Army sergeant Miss Bryan and Mr Rees, a leading navy hand, were not expecting to be given life-changing news when they took Bertie to hospital in March.

"I had a pretty healthy pregnancy," Miss Bryan said.

"When Bertie was born in February, he had his post-birth checks and we were released to go home a few hours later, but nothing was picked up."

The couple were worried Bertie's blister was the cold sore virus.

They ended up having to sleep on the floor at the hospital as cardiologists tried to find out what was wrong with him.

Bertie will have an operation to repair the hole this summer

Bertie is now on medication and is tube-fed, but is doing well and putting on weight, despite his breathing still being heavy.

He will undergo surgery to repair the hole this summer.

Gloucester-based charity Heart Heroes has supported his parents throughout the difficult time.

Their friends, Sgt Rachel Harle and Corporal Amy Trimnell, are doing 5km of burpees on 12 June in a challenge called "Burpees for Bertie", to raise funds for the charity.

Meanwhile, Mr Rees and some of his Smiths Rugby teammates will take part in the Cheltenham Half Marathon for the same cause on 1 September.

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