By Kenzi Osborne

Upper Coomera runner Andrew Martland will be dedicating his Gold Coast Airport Marathon race on the first weekend in July to children’s charity HeartKids Queensland having been inspired by their support of his son Zachary’s ongoing battle with heart disease.

The 29-year-old’s team ‘Run for Zachary’ will be participating in a number of different events over race weekend, with Andrew choosing to tackle the ASICS Half Marathon.

Since starting his charity drive via Everyday Hero less than three months ago, Andrew has raised almost $6,500 for HeartKids Queensland and looks well on the road to surpassing his $10,000 goal.

The hopeful father said the importance of running for HeartKids Queensland was greater than ever after learning of his son’s need for his fourth open heart surgery before the age of two.

“Unfortunately we have just received devastating news that Zachary will require yet another open heart surgery sooner rather than later,” Andrew said.

“As we will have HeartKids Queensland by our side for this operation, running the ASICS Half Marathon and raising funds is now even more important to us.”

Zachary was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot with Pulmonary Stenosis, a birth defect that affects the structure and blood flow of the heart, setting in motion the beginning of a number of hospital visits and doctors’ appointments for the Martland family.

It was at 11 weeks of age that Zachary’s heart disease really shook the young family’s lives as he required two open heart surgeries.

“Our world was turned upside down after he contracted a common virus at 11-weeks-old and went into heart failure,” Andrew said.

“It’s surreal to think that one day we were playing with him and listening to his giggles and the next we are sitting in a small room with surgeons explaining how they are going to cut open his heart when it’s the size of a walnut.

“Zachary needed emergency heart surgery three days later.

“At 12 weeks he had his second open heart surgery.  He was very unstable and went into cardiac arrest several times and ended up on heart and lung machine ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) for five days and six weeks in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit.”

After months of living in hospital with mother Ashleigh, Zachary proved he was not done fighting, undergoing yet another open heart surgery.

“Zachary developed an Auto Immune Disease whilst in hospital and required more surgery due to worsening heart failure,” Andrew said.

“At 10 months he had his third complex open heart surgery with ongoing kidney and liver complications.”

Despite a long journey ahead for Zachary, Andrew said his son is still the happy one-year-old he should be.

“He is struggling to stay healthy due to such a rough start to life,” Andrew said.

“But we have the most amazing happy boy who is desperately trying to catch up on the year he missed out on. His smile and cheekiness melts our hearts everyday.”

HeartKids Queensland is a donation reliant Australian charity dedicated to providing support to families with children suffering from congenital or acquired heart diseases.

For those wishing to donate to Andrew Martland’s cause, donations can be made to the ‘Run For Zachary’  Everyday Hero page.

The 37th annual Gold Coast Airport Marathon, an IAAF Road Race Gold Label race, will be held on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 July on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia.

To enter or for more information visit goldcoastmarathon.com.au.