Luna used to be frightened of doctors and nurses - now the toddler who has survived three open heart surgeries wants to grow up and wear a stethoscope of her own. / Video by Doug Sherring
Luna Clark used to be frightened of doctors and nurses - now the toddler who has been through three open heart surgeries wants to grow up and wear a stethoscope of her own.
The little girl, who is also about to become a big sister, wants to become a doctor or nurse.
"We bought Luna a doctor's kit to play with so she wouldn't associate that with just being in hospital," her mother Olivia Clark said.
"She's seen my twin sisters, Maddison and Ginny and my brother Logan in their nurses outfits and wants to be like them."
The toddler is preparing for her fourth and hopefully final heart surgery next month.
"I have a special heart, they are going to zip me up," said Luna.
"I have hypoplastic left heart syndrome" – a big word for a 2-year-old, but she can say it.
In layman's terms it means one side of Luna's heart is effectively missing. It's the most important side of the heart; but the left side of her heart isn't big enough to pump blood to her body.
Thirty-four weeks into Olivia's pregnancy, scans revealed abnormalities in Luna's heart.
It was a tough choice for Olivia: terminate the pregnancy or prepare for palliative care.
"Termination was never an option, I was far too along. Palliative was our only option but we had to wait till she was born. The worst part was walking into hospital and wondering if I would walk out without a baby," Olivia said.
Olivia Clark can see her daughter Luna working in medicine. Photo / Supplied
But Luna made it.
Olivia is hopeful about the next procedure Luna will have on April 9, but she is also realistic to know this might not be the last and her daughter may eventually need a heart transplant.
"This is the final stage of rerouting her blood flow which will give her more oxygenated blood through her body. She has half a heart and you can't sustain that for the rest of your life.
"To me a heart transplant is swapping one disease for another. You have to wait for another child to die until you get saved. It's heart-wrenching".
Dr Kirsten Finucane, head of paediatric cardiac and surgical unit at Starship children's hospital, said the heart condition has long-term implications.
"Even after [many surgeries] circulation doesn't go back to normal. They have parts missing, it's a long-term problem and the parents will probably outlive their children."
Olivia, 27, and her husband Donovan, 29, want to thank the medical team at Starship and Heart Kids - both have been incredibly supportive since Luna's birth.
"Heart Kids are amazing, we adore them. They supply us with meals, unlimited support, and organise great events so we can meet other Heart Kid families."
Brave toddler Luna Clark and her mother Olivia. Photo / Doug Sherring
Now Olivia, a fitness coach, is 22 weeks pregnant with her second child. An anatomy scan has shown a baby with a healthy heart.
"It was quite funny everyone was saying you must be nervous or anxious - I wasn't," she said.
"I am not going to worry until the doctors give me something to worry about. They spent about 25 minutes looking at her heart to make sure everything was plumbed correctly and it was.
"With Luna I had a gut feeling something was wrong.
"It's going to be such a different experience bringing home a baby and not handing it over to a surgeon."
Luna knows "mummy has a baby in her tummy" and is "obsessed" about having a brother or sister to play with, Olivia said.
Luna has started learning ballet and enjoys the outdoors on the trampoline or "hooning" along the waterfront with her "Opa" (Dutch for grandfather) Stephen Swart; a former Tour de France cyclist and the first whistle blower on Lance Armstrong's doping scandal.
Olivia sees a lot of herself in Luna.
"She's so cute and smart. You can't promise her anything without being willing to follow it through. She's happy, cheeky and sassy with the warmest heart. With Luna's brain she could be a surgeon but I see her working with children- she might be a nurse.
"I can definitely see her being the fourth nurse in the family."
