Brave Stewkley girl with rare heart condition looking for sponsors for charity tea

A brave girl from Stewkley with an extremely rare heart condition is holding a vintage afternoon tea to say thank you to a special charity.

Lucia Pollard, eight, has only half a working heart, known as Double Inlet Left Ventrical, and is one of only a handful of children in a million to be born with the condition.

Lucia’s family are now holding a charity tea to say thank you to Little Hearts Matter, and although the event is already full to capacity, they would love to encourage more local businesses to sponsor the day.

Lucia’s mum Fiona told the LBO: “Lucia is amazing; she’s got a life-threatening illness but she just copes with it amazingly.

“The charity supports children who were born with half a heart, or who were born with another similar condition called Hypoplastic Left Heart.

“Through them we have met other families like us and we feel like a little community.

“Lucia can see that there’s other children like her and she doesn’t feel as isolated.”

The courageous youngster’s condition means she has lower oxygen levels than normal and will tire more quickly than other children, while her blood could clot easily, putting her at risk of a stroke.

Lucia has already had three open-heart surgeries – one aged eight weeks, one aged 10 months, and one aged four, and she will one day need a heart transplant. However, Lucia takes it all in her stride.

Fiona added: “Little Hearts Matter held their first get-together since Covid with climbing, abseiling, and fancy dress – she absolutely loved it!

“Lucia has already had surgery, while some families are still waiting for their children to go through it, so they can ask us questions.

“They know they are not alone.”

The afternoon tea will be held at Stewkley Village Hall on Sunday (September 19) from 2pm to 5pm with scones and cream tea supplied by Room 9, Leighton Buzzard, and performances from Fiona Harrison and Swing MK.

There will also be stallholders outside, so visitors without a ticket can come and browse.

Lucia, her dad James, 44, mum Fiona, 43, and brother Ben, six, would like to say a huge thank-you to Caroline Gates from Room 9, Buzz Print, and Charles Hill Ltd.

They would also like to thank The Swan, Stewkley, Liscombe Gym, Faye Lewington Jewellery, Laura Matthias (cake), Bec Kent (nails), Sarah Keay (massage), Rebecca Marsala Flowers, Chase Gin, Little Darlings Wax Melts and Lucy Houle (bags) for their raffle prizes. Two Stereophonics tickets are up for grabs, too.

To sponsor the event, please contact Fiona on: 07841845145.