A nine-year-old boy from Bristol who was born with a rare condition meaning his heart is 'the wrong way round' has made one wish.
Archie Purnell was born with multiple heart defects, including an illness known as Dextrocardia. This serious condition means his heart is pointed toward the right side of the chest when it should point toward the left, reports Liverpool Echo.
The condition - which is present at birth - makes it difficult to get oxygen and Archie may need a heart transplant in the near future. Archie has had four open-heart surgeries since he was born and was given a 20 per cent chance of survival in his last operation.
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Archie's mum, Donna Purnell, said her son has "beaten the odds every time". She explained: "Because of the medication he’s on, he’s not allowed to do contact sports.
"We got him into a little football team and he was allowed to do training, but they couldn’t let him play a match because of insurance purposes. It’s just too dangerous for him."
Archie was first referred to the charity Make-A-Wish UK in 2019 and has been waiting for his wish for almost three years. Although he initially wished to meet Ant and Dec, football fan Archie now hopes to see his favourite team – Liverpool FC – play at Anfield.
Speaking about his wish, nine-year-old Archie said: "I’ve been outside the stadium [Anfield], but I haven’t been inside. That would be my dream come true."
Archie's future remains uncertain and his mother said his condition is "life-limiting". Donna added: "With medicine changing all the time, we just don’t know what the future holds. We’re grateful for every single day that he’s here."
Jason Suckley, Chief Executive of Make-A-Wish UK, added: "When Covid hit, we suffered a 40% drop in income with almost 2000 wishes forced to be put on hold. Wishes like Archie’s, which involved travel and contact with others, became almost impossible.
"503 children just like Archie across the UK are still waiting for their wish to come true. Some have been waiting for years, like Archie himself, and some may not have long left. By donating today at www.make-a-wish.org.uk/worldwishday, you can help grant life-changing wishes for children like Archie."
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