Marton marathon runner will not be held back by heart conditions

Rachel Lovelock hopes local businesses and schools will get involved in fundraising for Little Hearts Day on March 18. Photo / Finn Williams

Marton resident Rachel Lovelock has defied the expectations of doctors by competing in marathons, ultramarathons and half ironmans, despite being born with a heart condition.

At birth, Lovelock was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot. It is a combination of four heart defects that affect bloodflow through the body and can reduce the amount of oxygen in a person's bloodstream, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Lovelock went through pioneering surgery to correct the condition and will require more surgery in the future to maintain her health.

As a result, doctors told Lovelock's parents that she would never be able to be active or have children.

But Lovelock, who is now a mother and works for the Marton Childcare Centre, said her parents never told her that information and used people's doubts to drive her forward.

"Being told not to do something, you want to do it."

Along with defying expectations, she also helps other children born with heart defects as the secretary of Heart Kids Manawatū/Whanganui.

Heart Kids is a nationwide organisation that supports people born with heart conditions, from birth all the way to adulthood.

The organisation's work ranges from providing support or meals to the families of children with heart defects to giving grants for essential surgery.

Heart Kids says 12 children each week are born with heart conditions in New Zealand, and the Manawatū/Whanganui branch of Heart Kids currently has more than 160 families on its database.

The organisation can use all the support it can get, which is why it runs an annual fundraiser event - Little Heart Day - in March.

Little Heart Day is on Friday, March 18, and will involve businesses, organisations and people holding events to raise money for Heart Kids.

Heart Kids has held the event for the past few years, with it being especially popular with early childhood education centres, but Lovelock hopes to get more people and groups involved this year.

"It'd be really good for businesses to come on board as well and hold a dress-up red day or a bake sale or something to get the funds together," she said.

There are awards up for grabs for those in Whanganui-Manawatū who get involved, with every child who participates in fundraising given a certificate and medal and prizes being awarded to those who raise the most money.

Lovelock said while Little Hearts Day was on March 18, the fundraising efforts would continue until the end of March.

To sign up to hold a fundraising event for Little Heart Day or make a direct donation, go to littleheartday.org.nz and learn more about Heart Kids and its services at heartkids.org.nz.