Park Wood couple Samantha and Dennis Kerr appeal for support as unborn baby Gabriel battles rare condition, ectopia cordis

emcconnell@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 00:01, 10 February 2015

Little fighter Gabriel Kerr is not even born yet, but he is already defying the odds.

In October KentOnline reported how the little boy's heart is growing outside his body – a rare condition called ectopia cordis for which the survival rate is only 10%.

Parents Samantha and Dennis Kerr received the shock diagnosis 12 weeks into the pregnancy, but vowed to give Gabriel every chance possible saying they had signed up for a baby, not just a healthy baby.

Samantha Kerr and her partner went through with their pregnancy despite the risks

He is due to arrive in April, but as soon as he is born he will be whisked away from his parents for a complex operation, in which surgeons will try to put his heart in his body.

Mrs Kerr said: “If we are told that Gabriel will not make it we will be seeking a second opinion.”

Almost weekly trips to see London specialists are taking their toll on the Park Wood couple’s finances and they have organised a charity auction and online fundraising page to help.

"The latest scans show things are going really well and he is growing at a normal rate” - Samantha Kerr

Samantha is now trying to raise money to support her through pregnancy.

The mother-of-two said the travelling costs – which can be more than £200 per month – are starting to take their toll, especially as she is now on maternity leave from her job as a teaching assistant.

Mrs Kerr, who lives with her husband, 34, and his 14-year-old daughter in Brishing Lane, added: “The mounting cost is starting to affect family life and it is getting harder to take the children on days out and just do everyday things.”

The 33-year-old added: “Gabriel is also suffering from a complication where his pulmonary artery is more narrow than normal, something which will require corrective surgery when he is around seven months old. But the latest scans show things are going really well and he is growing at a normal rate.”

Gabriel’s condition is exceptionally rare, affecting eight out of one million births, and sadly the survival rate is very low at just 10%.

Scan pictures of baby Gabriel holding his heart

A scan of Gabriel who was diagnosed with ectopia cordis

Mr and Mrs Kerr were given the option to terminate the pregnancy after diagnosis, but they remain determined to give Gabriel every chance of conquering the odds.

The couple are staying positive and have been contacted by two families in America who have first-hand experiences of the condition.

Mrs Kerr, who will be having a C-section, said: “If we are told that Gabriel will not make it we will be seeking a second opinion. Sometimes different hospitals are able to offer different surgeries.”

The couple are now looking for local businesses to take part in a charity auction which they hope will go some way to raising the money required and also awareness for Gabriel’s condition.