Chantry Arms: Fundraiser night at Sheffield pub in support of landlord’s unborn baby with rare heart condition

A Sheffield pub landlord whose expectant baby will be born with a rare heart condition is throwing a fundraising night to thank a charity for their help.

Landlord of The Chantry Arms pub Chris Storey and his partner Jess Wilkes are expecting their first baby this summer – but at their 20-week scan, they were given some sad news.

Doctors say their little boy will be born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a rare congenital condition that means their heart has not developed as strong on one side. It means he will need to undergo surgery three times before his first birthday, with the first operation booked for when he just a few weeks old.

But, even as the couple prepare for the birth at a specialist unit in Leeds and are faced with travelling back and forth to the city, they feel “calm” about what could have been a devastating prospect for their family – all because of the support of charity Little Hearts Matters.

Chris said: “Little Hearts reached out to us and have been so supportive. They’ve been brilliant. We’ve met other parents whose children have the same condition and heard how their surgery went.

"It’s a life-limiting condition. He may only live to 25 years old. But he’ll never know life without it and we will give him the best we can. We just have to have hope.”

Now, Chris and Jess is throwing a fundraising night at The Chantry Arms at 8pm on July 1 with all proceeds going to Little Hearts Matter as their way of saying thank you.

Local favourite DJ Rosco will be on the decks for disco and kareoke all night, along with a charity raffle with a huge range of prizes – with everything from Sheffield United tickets to a £100 Miller & Carter Steakhouse voucher to play for.

Chris said: “We’ve got a really great community around us. It’s not going to be a sad night, we want everyone to have a laugh and enjoy themselves.

"Nobody really knows the charity – I didn’t before this happened – and I just want to raise awareness and give everyone a fun-filled night.”

Jess’ mother has also launched a GoFundMe page to help support the couple’s expenses in travelling to Leeds for medical care. For more information, visit their fundraising page.