We are raising money to support the Gibbs family while Charlotte remains in hospital waiting for a life-saving heart transplant.

Charlotte was diagnosed with a rare heart condition, left ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy (LVNC), during her first pregnancy with Isla. For many years, medication and regular care allowed her to live a relatively normal life, work and raise her two children, Isla and Albie.

Sadly, her condition gradually worsened. She developed serious heart rhythm problems, underwent several procedures and eventually needed an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) fitted. She later developed heart failure, severe breathlessness and exhaustion. After specialist investigations at Papworth Hospital in Cambridge, Charlotte was told the devastating news that she needs a heart transplant. We hoped this would be many years away but her condition has deteriorated faster than expected. Her kidney function in particular has suffered and for a period she became too unwell to remain active on the transplant list.

Thankfully the doctors have been able to stabilise her condition and Charlotte is now on the urgent heart transplant waiting list and will remain in hospital until a suitable donor heart becomes available. Nobody knows how long that wait will be.

As if that wasn’t enough for one family, they have also had to face the heartbreaking news that Isla has cardiomyopathy too. Isla was diagnosed at just eight years old. At nine, after she began collapsing, doctors discovered that she was experiencing a potentially life-threatening abnormal heart rhythm. She now has an ICD fitted herself.

Why this family needs our help

Charlotte is in Cambridge, a long way from her family. Every weekend, Mike takes Isla and Albie to see their mum — an approximately seven-hour round trip with two young children. They make that journey because seeing Charlotte and spending those precious hours together means everything to them.

But seven hours of travelling in a single day, every weekend, is exhausting — particularly for two young children. The cost of making that journey week after week also quickly adds up. Being able to stay overnight near the hospital more often would make an enormous difference. It would mean less time spent travelling, less pressure on the children and, most importantly, more precious time together with their mum. At the moment, the cost of regular travel combined with accommodation simply makes that unaffordable.

With Charlotte unable to work, the family are trying to manage on a reduced income at exactly the time their expenses have increased. Mike is continuing to work, care for Isla and Albie, keep the family home running and make the journey to Cambridge every weekend.

The aim of this fundraiser is simply to take some of that financial pressure away. We want to give the family the freedom to visit Charlotte without the constant worry about what each journey will cost. We want them to be able to stay overnight when they need to, giving Isla and Albie more time with their mum and making an incredibly difficult situation just a little easier.

Nobody knows whether Charlotte will be waiting for her new heart for days, weeks or months. We can’t give Charlotte the heart she desperately needs, but we can help make sure her family can be beside her while she waits for it.

The Gibbs family have been completely overwhelmed by the kindness and support they have received from their friends, local community, local businesses and their rugby club family. Their rugby club has already organised a wonderful fundraising event to help support the family, and the response has been incredible. We have therefore set up this GoFundMe to continue that support and help the Gibbs family over the months ahead.

Every donation, no matter how big or small, will help give the Gibbs family some financial breathing space during the months ahead.

And if you aren’t able to donate, please share Charlotte’s story. That support means just as much.Thank you for supporting Charlotte, Mike, Isla and Albie through an incredibly difficult time.

Let’s help them spend as much precious time together as possible while they wait for the call that could change everything — that a new heart has been found for Charlotte. ❤️