THE mother of a little boy from Wirral who was diagnosed with a heart condition has praised the 'super hero' surgeon who saved his life.

Enzo Brislen, from Wallasey, was just two years old when he felt unwell. He was taken to hospital on Christmas Day 2022 for checks at Arrowe Park and later transferred to Alder Hey in Liverpool.

Tests revealed he had a second heart valve needing repair and three holes in the heart instead of two, instead of the one valve and two holes that parents Amy and Lee were aware of.

It was a very worrying time for mum and dad.

Enzo was operated on by Ramana Dhannapuneni (Dr Ram), lead heart surgeon and head of cardiac surgery at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool, during a procedure lasting five-and-a-half hours on June 1 last year.

Last Saturday (June 1) Enzo's family celebrated 'The biggest milestone' and wished him a 'happy first heartversery', marking 'his first full year of life with a good heart'.

Wirral Globe: Three-year-old Enzo Brislen, from Wallasey, celebrates his first heartversary on June 1Three-year-old Enzo Brislen, from Wallasey, celebrates his first heartversary on June 1 (Image: Amy Woodfin)In a Facebook post, mum Amy wrote: "01/06/23 will forever be the day we finally got the meet the Enzo that was hidden under all of your daily struggles with heart failure.

"We thank Alder Hey daily for giving us Enzo back. We thank cardiologist Dr Caroline Jones for making the calls to put you in the coma to help your body cope, we thank Dr Ram Dhannapuneni for his godly skills in the theatre rooms for giving you back to us, the amazing ICU nurses/consultants/cleaners who looked after me and Lee whilst they looked after Enzo, ward 1C for being our extended family and the specialist nurses who took our worries, fears, and tears on their own shoulders to help ease the burden on ours."

On Enzo's progress to date, Amy told the Globe: "He's had a miraculous recovery and now he is tremendous. He's three years old and a 'terrible three'.

"At times he can be a little nutjob, so unbelievably stubborn, into dinosaurs and cars, and is a real bundle of constant energy.

"Sharks are his absolute favourite thing. When he had his operation, we told him to be brave like a shark in the theatre, he still loves sharks to this day.

Wirral Globe: Three-year-old Enzo Brislen from Wallasey on the day he celebrated a 'happy first heartversery'Three-year-old Enzo Brislen from Wallasey on the day he celebrated a 'happy first heartversery' (Image: Amy Woodfin)

"We wouldn't change him for the world and are so grateful to Dr Ram and the team at Alder Hey for giving him that second chance to enjoy life. None of his haughtiness and cheekiness would have been possible without the wonderful staff at Alder Hey. 

"I'd rate it as the best hospital in the world.

"In medical terms Enzo had heart failure. At one point, because he was so poorly he had forgotten how to walk, as he had severe damage in his legs but has learned to walk again now."

Praising Dr Ram, Amy continued: "Ram has called Enzo a 'brave little soldier' and wished him a 'happy heart-versary'.

"Ram must have saved thousands and thousands of lives in his career and is just a super human. We've made a lot of friends at Alder Hey. It is insane to think that you've got this big human hand operating on tiny, delicate child for more than five hours. 

"Ram is certainly Enzo's superhero'."

Alder Hey has been contacted for comment.