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Dartford family raise money for Darent Valley Hospital

Grayson Burdett was born with two holes in his heart and one heart valve.

The tot, from The Ridgeway, Darenth, underwent open heart surgery at just one month old.

Now seven months, his parents Sarah and Emma Burdett, 32 and 35, have raised more than £1,000 to thank Darent Valley Hospital who cared for and prepared Grayson for surgery at St Thomas’s Hospital, London.

Sarah and Emma Burdett with Grayson
Sarah and Emma Burdett with Grayson

While their child was in hospital at Darent Valley, the couple noticed that Willow Ward, for teenage patients, lacked furniture and only had one canvas on the wall.

With the money they have raised the full-time mum and facilities manager have hired artist, Steve Wright, to produced a graffiti-inspired mural while using the remainder of the money for new furniture and entertainment for the poorly children.

Sarah said: “We went into Darent Valley Hospital three times before the surgery.

“They were the ones that kept his heart going, they were the first hospital that we had contact with.

“It is the support and the way they dealt with him that made us decide that we wanted to give something back.

“When we went in to hospital, the room Grayson stayed in had murals on the wall and the teenagers’ wards had just a canvas.

"We would like to say a massive thank you to Darent Valley Hospital...they were the ones that kept his heart going" - Sarah Burdett

“We thought we would be able to put a graffiti mural on the wall to decorate it.

“We started fundraising for that and we managed to raise £1,000.

“We are going to use it to replace some of the furniture in the room along with a television, some portable DVD players and donated game console.

“It’s felt incredible. I didn’t think we would be as successful as we have been.

“We have to tell Grayson when he is older about his heart treatment and now we can tell him about the positive impact it has had.

“We would like to say a massive thank you to the nurses and doctors at Darent Valley Hospital and the play team who supported us.

"It’s the play team we are raising donations for because they are completely reliant on donations.”

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