THIS could be just another photograph for the family album - but the heart-breaking story behind it is nothing short of a miracle.

The mother and daughter portrait was taken to celebrate toddler Bethany Rowlands' first birthday - a milestone her parents Louise and Mark thought they'd never see.

When Bethany was born her parents were completely unprepared for the news that she was suffering from a rare and life-threatening heart condition.

Their beautiful baby was diagnosed as having a criss-cross heart, a extremely rare heart condition which leaves sufferers struggling to control the amount of blood circulating around the body.

But against all odds, Bethany has gone from strength to strength in her battle for health. Now she happily plays at the family's home in Ruskin Avenue, Leyland, seemingly unperturbed by the attention she is receiving.

Louise said: "Her first birthday was such a poignant moment for us. There have been times over the past year when we have been told Bethany may not survive, but everything seems to be fine at the moment.

"We took her to Chester Zoo on her birthday, which she loved. We then held a big party for her. It was such a wonderful day."

Within weeks of Bethany's birth she had undergone several operations, just to keep her alive.

As the problem is so rare, careful plans had to be made before any operation could take place. Trips to hospitals in Preston, Manchester and Birmingham have all become the norm for the Rowlands family.

Louise added: "Just to look at her you wouldn't know there was anything different about her. She is just like any other baby. She can't walk yet but has started talking. She can say 'da-da', 'teddy' and 'Teletubbies'."

Yesterday (Wednesday July 22) Bethany was given a check-up at the Royal Preston Hospital, ahead of an operation she will undergo later this year in Birmingham.

Surgeons hope it will be the last she has to endure for a while.

Louise added: "We can't thank all the people who helped us enough. Our neighbours, family, friends and all the medical staff have been brilliant."

Criss-cross heart is a rare disorder which affects very few people. The heart is on the wrong side of the body and the arteries inside the body are in the wrong places in the heart.

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