Smiling and rocking gently in her chair, only the tube from her mouth gives any indication of the trauma little Emily Stowe has been through in her short life.

The five-month old baby suffered a bowel blockage at birth and was diagnosed with only half a heart, leading to major bypass surgery.

Now her parents, Wolverhampton couple Paul Stowe and his fiancee Kirsty Bygrave, face the worry of another operation to insert dye into her bloodstream to track the condition, known as hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

Emily was born three weeks premature after doctors at New Cross Hospital spotted a blocked bowel on a routine scan and performed an emergency Caesarean.

The tiny battler was transferred to Birmingham Children’s Hospital for surgery to remove the blockage when she was three days old.

When her condition failed to improve, doctors did further tests and uncovered the rare condition.

At three weeks old she underwent a pioneering four-hour operation to replumb her heart.

Her parents have to ply Emily with up to nine different medicines a day at their home in Owen Road, Pennfields. Mr Stowe, 32, praised staff at New Cross and the children’s hospital in Birmingham for Emily’s care.

The couple have started a fundraising charity for both hospitals. Donations at www.helpinghearts.org.uk or contact Mr Stowe on 07931 554073.

By Stuart Pollitt