A CHILD born with half a heart was kept alive using Viagra.
Doctors gave little Hope Stainton the erectile dysfunction drug for three months to keep her blood vessels open after life-saving surgery.
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She was born with a condition that meant only the left side of her heart had developed.
Surgeons had to make some major “renovations,” starting when she was just five weeks old.
Viagra was used to help blood flow as your body got used to the changes.
The drug is typically taken in the form of “blue pills” by men with erection problems.
Hope’s mother Kim, 33, a nail technician, said: “People are surprised when I tell them that Hope has been taking Viagra for three months.
“I was shocked when the doctors told us – I never imagined something like this would be used in her treatment.
“But it worked brilliantly. She made an incredible recovery from surgery and looking at her now, you wouldn’t know she only has half of her heart working.”
Kim and her trainee photographer husband Liam, 36, from Preston, were devastated when doctors told them Hope had a rare hypoplastic right heart syndrome when Kim was 20 weeks pregnant.
Kim said: “We were anxious when she had the surgery but she coped really well.
“She did really well on Viagra – it really helped her recovery.
“This kept the blood vessels more open so the blood could flow more freely. She’s made incredible progress on that.”
Hope turns two in August and is a “happy little girl,” her parents say.
Kim said, “It feels like a miracle that she’s here with us.”
The family – supported by the charity Little Hearts Matter – took part in a YouTube video to help other parents whose children have similar conditions.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
