Born with just half a heart..but it's full of joy over first day at school

Alfie's journey back from brink

- LUCY LAING

GRINNING like a Cheshire cat in his first school uniform, little Alfie Ganley will today start a new chapter in his extraordinary life.

And as they wave him off for his first day in class, mum and dad Sarah and Jon have a special reason to be proud of their boy.

Not so long ago, they feared Alfie might never be born after doctors detected serious heart problems in the womb. They asked the couple to consider a termination, as his chances of survival were so slight.

But Sarah, 34, a nurse practitioner, and Jon, 34, a customer care manager, wanted to give their son every chance.

He was born in August 2020 at St Mary's Hospital in Manchester, weighing 8lb 3oz and effectively with half a heart.

Sarah says: "We were told that we could either have a termination or do nothing and let him pass away after he was born, or try to have surgery to re-plumb his heart afterwards.

TERRIFYING