Heart defect fails to slow busy toddler

According to his mother Racheal, nothing fazes little Cameron Bartle who is due to undergo his third heart surgery shortly after he turns 3.

Family and friends pitching in to help little battler get vital blood-monitoring machine

Cameron Bartle has a fascination with trains - particularly Thomas the Tank Engine - and likes to cuddle his Mickey Mouse toy.

For the most part he is like any other inquisitive 2-year-old. The only difference is he has a thin line running down the middle of his chest - a scar he got just a few days after he was born in August, 2012.

Cameron was born with hypoplastic right heart syndrome, meaning he only had half a functioning heart.

He has already undergone two open heart surgeries during his short life - one which took place when he was just five days old - and is to undergo a third a few months after his third birthday.

Cameron's parents, Racheal and Nick Bartle, are now working to purchase a special device, a CoaguChek machine, that will help them monitor his warfarin levels; a drug he takes to help reduce the formation of blood clots.

"It checks his INR [international normalised ratio] levels - levels of coagulation in the blood after having the warfarin every morning. It's a real fine line to get it right," Mrs Bartle said.

A CoaguChek machine costs about $700 and children with a heart defect normally receive one from the Heart Kids NZ charity about 18 months after surgery.

A family friend of the Bartles', Rachel Lange, is taking part in a marathon later this year and decided she would fundraise to help purchase a machine for Cameron earlier.

She has set up a Givealittle page to help not only Cameron, but other heart kids who will receive a device from any extra money she raises.

Mrs Bartle said: "There are lots of heart families that we've met on our journey and it's just to help them out as well - to set up a little fund [to buy the machines]."

Mrs Bartle said the past two years had been at times a real struggle for their family, which also includes 4-year-old son Cory.

"It's so expensive having a sick child. But he's a real cool little kid. Not because he's ours, but he just has a really neat nature. Considering what he's been through, he's just phenomenal - nothing fazes him."

Heart kids
• 12 babies are born in New Zealand with a heart defect every week.
• 450 open heart surgeries on children take place every year.
• 70% of all heart surgeries involve stopping the child's heart.
• 1000 children a year are treated at Auckland's Paediatric Cardiac Unit.

- Source: Heart Kids NZ