Dolcie’s gala raises £14,000 for children’s heart treatment

Two-year-old Dolcie from Throop was born with a serious congenital heart defect which means she faces a series of surgeries just to keep her alive.

Dolcie was just eight months old when she underwent her first operation to repair a malformed valve. As her heart grows she will need further surgery just to keep it working.

On Friday her grateful parents Steve Woodhouse and Holly Doick staged a charity gala at the Haven Hotel in Poole to say thank you for the expert treatment and care their daughter has received.

The event was in aid of babies with life threatening heart defects and was attended by more than 200 people including many members of the local business community.

It raised £14,000 for vital life-saving equipment for the children’s heart ward and intensive care unit at Southampton Hospital.

Afterwards Dolcie’s mum, Holly, described the evening as “Wonderful” adding, “We are very, very happy. We achieved above and beyond what we expected.”

She explained, “There is no cure for Dolcie’s heart defect, only treatment, which means a lifetime of open heart surgeries for our brave little girl. Sadly Dolcie will always be in heart failure and therefore her future is uncertain.”

She said the fundraising event aimed “to make sure Dolcie’s and thousands of other little hearts keep beating.”