My name is Karen Horsell and I am the proud mother of a beautiful 11 yo daughter Jenaiha, and brave 4yo son Joshua. I have a BEd in secondary Art/Design teaching and am also a qualified NCAS level 1 general horse riding instructor and dressage competitor.

Four and a half years ago my family and I were faced with the new challenges of Congenital heart disease. Our unborn baby had a heart defect and only one functioning kidney. Joshua Ross Martin was born 7 weeks premature and was diagnosed with Pulmonary Atresia with a VSD. By the time Josh had turned 2 he had endured four open heart surgeries and two catheters.  At 3 and 4 years of age he had more heart surgery, cardiac angioplasty to balloon and widen his left pulmonary arteries.

To look at Josh now you would never know, apart from his ‘zipper’ scar on his chest, what such a young boy has experienced. His cheeky spirit, caring nature and happy disposition are testimony to his loving family and wonderful professionals and specialists he has encountered along the way.