Tansy and Atlas at London Marathon event 2026. Tansy wearing sunglasses and appears to be smiling in an orange Evelina Children

Tansy’s first ever marathon

Tansy raised over an amazing £10,000 for Evelina London Children’s Charity as a way to say thank you for the incredible care her son Atlas received at Evelina London.

After her son Atlas was cared for by Evelina London, undergoing a seven-hour open heart surgery at eight weeks old, Tansy knew that she wanted to give back. One year on, she ran the London Marathon for Evelina London Children’s Charity and had raised over £10,000 by race day.

Atlas’ journey to Evelina London

After a long journey to get pregnant and a difficult childbirth, Tansy and Matthew’s newborn had trouble feeding and long periods of crying. Initially told not to worry, Tansy was referred to Evelina London when Atlas remained jaundiced (a condition that makes a baby’s skin and eyes appear yellow) and started losing weight, despite still feeding.

“We had a paediatrician appointment, and they noticed his breathing pattern” says Tansy, “and asked how long he’d had a cold for. I felt awful for not knowing and said I didn’t think he did. That was when the paediatrician, unable to find a clear issue, took me aside and highlighted some symptoms to look out for”

That night, Atlas’ condition started to get worse with sharp breathing and vomiting. Tansy and Matthew called an ambulance and were taken to the children’s emergency department at St Thomas’ Hospital.

From diagnosis to immediate care

An X-ray showed that Atlas had a very enlarged heart and flooded lungs. Further tests confirmed he was born with a heart condition called coarctation and Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), commonly known as a hole in the heart.

Conditions like coarctation are typically diagnosed before birth, so medical teams plan treatment and prepare parents ahead of time. For Atlas, surgery was needed as soon as possible.

“We had no time to research or even fully understand what was wrong with Atlas… we just knew he needed surgery and he was getting it from the best team possible,” Tansy recalls.

A week after being admitted to Evelina London, Atlas received open heart surgery that lasted for around seven hours.

“Handing Atlas over to the surgical team was hard, but the empathy and care we received from the team at Evelina London allowed us to trust that Atlas would be OK. They put so much care and consideration into how we were feeling, from letting us see the unit beforehand to helping us make a diary of his time at Evelina London.”

Tansy, Atlas’ mum

Atlas laying down and appears to be smiling looking towards his right.

Atlas back to his happy self

Atlas is now the happiest bounciest boy

The surgery was a success and after four weeks Atlas was discharged from Evelina London. By the time the London Marathon came around, he had been given the all clear, with no long-term issues expected. He now only attends yearly check-ups at Evelina London to monitor his progress.

Tansy said, “I know every mum says this, but he is the happiest, bounciest boy. Apart from his scar you would never know that he was so seriously ill and it’s all thanks to the incredible team at Evelina London for performing a miracle and saving his life.”

Tansy appears to be smiling, wearing an orange Evelina London Children’s top. She

Tansy with her London Marathon medal

Tansy takes on the London Marathon

When Tansy received a place in the London Marathon to support Evelina London Children’s Charity, she was nervous at first.

“I’d never run a marathon before,” she said, “and as a working new mum it’s been pretty tough to find the time to train. But Evelina London gave us back our son, so I wanted to take on this challenge to give back in whatever small way I can.”

After the event, with money still coming in, Tansy is thrilled with just how much she can give back.

“£10,000 was a dream I didn’t think I would hit, so I am over the moon! It was such an amazing experience I’ll never forget, and having my son there cheering me on carried me through to the finish. I can’t thank Evelina London enough.”

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