Pies are perfect tonic for poorly tot Bobby

As he recovers from his second heart operation in three months, the toddler is tucking into his favourite pork pies.

It was the first thing he ate after open heart surgery in September and he is eating pies again after further surgery earlier this month.

Mum Emma Doherty, of Worsley Mesnes, said: “His favourite is pork pies. He had one at a party once and he never looked back.

“Every time we go shopping, he has to eat one all the way round the supermarket.”

Despite having a chef at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, all 20-month-old Bobby wanted after open heart surgery was a pie.

Emma said: “Six days after his open heart, he wouldn’t really eat anything and we were at our wits’ end. I needed to get him to eat.

“I asked my mum and dad to bring a pie to see if it was his appetite or he wanted a pie. They brought two pies and he ate them both. I think he missed his home food.”

Emma is very proud to live in Wigan and took to Facebook this week to thank everyone for their support.

She wrote: “Since he was admitted at six weeks old we have had nothing but support from everyone, people we know to total strangers. I just can’t thank you all enough for keeping us as parents strong so we can be strong for Bobby.”

Emma feels lucky to have so many Wiganers supporting her, Bobby and her partner John Baldwin.

“I believe if I lived somewhere else, it wouldn’t be as supportive,” she said.

It was a quiet Christmas for Bobby as winter bugs meant he could not spend a lot of time with relatives.

But they did hold their own Christmas Day last month, as it was thought Bobby would be in hospital on December 25.

The tot has three holes in his heart and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries, which means blood cannot pump round his body because he has no pulmonary arteries.

His condition has improved since surgery, but he will be back in hospital in February for another operation.