Jessica Wright took to social media with the heartbreaking news that her two-year-old son, Presley, has been diagnosed with an ultra-rare heart condition.
Taking to her Instagram account, the mother-of-one penned a lengthy statement on Bank Holiday Monday, explaining that her son has been diagnosed with a congenital heart disease called "bicuspid aortic valve", which will require him to undergo open-heart surgery at least twice in his life.
© Instagram"Hey everyone [white love heart emoji], I have been apprehensive & nervous about writing this post because I knew that once I shared it, it would become even more real. But ultimately, I couldn’t hide from the reality anymore, and I would love to also raise awareness," she began.
The former TOWIE star explained: "A few months ago, we learned that our son Presley has a congenital heart disease called bicuspid aortic valve, something he was born with that affects only a small 1% of us. Essentially, instead of having three leaflets in his aortic valve like most people, he only has two.
© Instagram"This condition affects how blood flows from the heart to the rest of the body and will require monitoring and care over time. I won’t go into full details right now, but while this is, please God, not a fatal disease, we are coming to terms with the fact that our son will need intervention at least twice in his life. By intervention, I mean open-heart surgery."
Jess added that admitting it out loud "physically hurts" her soul and explained that Presley will be closely monitored by doctors every eight to twelve weeks.
© InstagramBefore thanking her friends and family, as well as the Brompton Fountain children's charity, she said: "Ultimately, he will have intervention when necessary, but the older he can be for that, the better. We know that Presley is strong and resilient. With the help of modern-day medicine, Presley will live as normal a life as the next child, we hope and pray."
She concluded: "I also know that this platform will help me share and get information, express my feelings, find answers to questions, and provide much-needed support and knowledge to others in need. I would love to hear from any other parents who are navigating this unknown and very scary territory, as knowledge is power and it is a comfort to know that we are not alone."
The words were shared alongside a beautiful black-and-white photo of Jess kissing her son on the cheek while her husband, William Lee-Kemp, held him.
Jess was flooded with support from friends and family after announcing the news, with many of her former TOWIE cast members sharing heartfelt messages. Her sister-in-law, Michelle Keegan, replied with a simple love heart emoji.
