A GROUP of committed local fundraisers is close to reaching its £5000 target for the Heart Research Fund for Wales (HRFW).

There is no history of heart conditions in Danielle Bond’s family, but when she was pregnant with her third child, a scan revealed the baby’s aortic valve was too narrow for blood to flow down to the bottom part of his body.

When baby Aled was born, he endured life-saving heart surgery at just five days old.

Now a full-of-beans two-year-old, Aled will always be under the care of cardiologists, but is otherwise likely to lead a normal life.

Danielle vowed to raise awareness that follow-up care for children in Wales post-heart surgery is limited, and to raise funds for HRFW.

Aided by past and present work colleagues from Pembrokeshire College, she is just £175 away from her fundraising goal.

Rachel Mylum and Jane Richards did a marathon cycle and raised £2, 512. Tom Powell ran the Tenby Marathon and raised £1,300. Danielle, Jo-Ann Tytler and Rhodri Davies-Camplin ran the Cardiff half-marathon and raised £1018. The group also made and sold a range of hand-made, heart-shaped decorations and held a pre-loved and baby fair.

“We have gone further than we thought,” said Danielle. “I’m just lucky to have people I work with who have gone above and beyond to help me reach this target.”

With Danielle’s input, HRFW now has a children’s cardiologist on its board. The charity has guaranteed the group’s donation will be spent on children and babies in Wales.

“If you don’t raise money for research, we’ll never know why this happens,” said Danielle. “Aled doesn’t have a life limiting problem, but a lot of children do. Hopefully in the future, we can make them better or stop these conditions happening at all. We’re not going to stop fundraising.”

To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/AledMendedHeart/