THE family of four-year-old Freddy Vallender has launched an appeal to raise £100,000 for treatment as he battles a life-threatening heart condition.

Freddy, from Bawdrip, has an extremely rare heart condition and his parents are now trying to raise the money to pay for surgery in the United States.

The youngster is one of only seven children in the UK to suffer with a cardiac tumour, a fibroma, in his left ventricle.

The tumour is 5cm by 3.5cm and makes up much of his heart wall and fills two-thirds of his ventricle.

The tumour causes dangerous heart arrhythmias which make Freddy’s heart beat in excess of 200 beats per minute which in turn could lead to sudden death by him going into cardiac arrest.

He has already had three heart surgeries and has a defibrillator planted in his tummy. His mother, Cathryn Vallender, said: “At just four-months-old Freddy had an out of hospital cardiac arrest.

“We were told by doctors there was only a six to eight per cent chance that he would survive. If he did survive we were told he wouldn’t be the child we knew.

“But miracles happen and Freddy survived. “Due to the amazing work of the paramedics and incredible CPR by our neighbour, Freddy is now four, but is still battling this horrible condition.”

Mrs Vallender explained that Freddy is given medication but it has long-term side effects, and after discussing the situation with Freddy’s consultant, the family agreed the best option was try and fund the costs for specialist surgery which could help him.

“Boston Children’s Hospital in the US is the leading centre in the world,” she said.

“From 1990 to date they have managed 27 cases and since 2013 they have successfully removed seven fibromas in children whose life threatening rhythms have disappeared once the tumour has been removed.”

She said the treatment could change the lives of the family, who live on a knife edge each day caring for brave Freddy.

“Having a poorly child changes you as a person,” Mrs Vallender added. “You do not dare to look into the future and you live in the moment. “You face the fragility of life everyday.”

Freddy attends Cheeky Chimps nursery in Ashcott and Mrs Vallender said her and her husband try and make his life as normal as possible. The Vallender family also includes dad Andy, an Avon and Somerset police officer, and six-year-old son Zack.

“We have had amazing support so far and lots of people said they would hold fundraising events,” Mrs Vallender said.

“The response has been quite overwhelming. It is a huge amount of money we need to raise but realistically we want to get him to the US in the next 18 months.”

So far, the Vallenders have raised £7,500 of the £100,000 target. If you would like to donate to the appeal, log on to justgiving.com/crowdfunding/Freddysfightforlife.