A 19-YEAR-OLD girl whose baby brother underwent a life-saving operation just 12 days after being born is raising money for a charity which helped her family through their trauma.

When Jasmine Parsons’ little brother Beau was born, he had blue feet.

Because nurses said this was fairly normal, Jasmine’s parents went home to Rodborough to celebrate their new family member.

Little did they know that Beau was born with transposition of the great arteries (TGA).

This meant that oxygen which should have been going into his heart went into his blood instead, leaving the newborn with difficulty breathing.

A week after he was born, on Tuesday, December 2 (Jasmine’s 19th birthday) the midwife dropped in to check on how Beau was doing.

Concerned at the colour of his skin, she called the ambulance and Beau was rushed to Bristol Royal Hospital for Children.

He went into intensive care immediately with a personal nurse and was hooked up to numerous medicated drips.

Being newborn, doctors couldn’t perform the operation until his heart was bigger.

Eventually, after a successful open heart surgery, he was able to get home in time to spend his first Christmas with his family.

Describing the operation, Jasmine said: “They literally snip the arteries and switch them.”

Beau spent a month in hospital and during that time, his parents lived in the Bristol Ronald McDonald House.

The charity provides free accommodation for families of critically ill children.

Jasmine said: “When he was in hospital, it was the most difficult time. I felt so helpless and just wanted to be with my family. At first, I didn’t really understand what was wrong with Beau and I feared the worst.

"I only went to visit him a few times as it was extremely overwhelming to see a tiny person so weak and poorly. It is still very upsetting to think about what happened but we had the best Christmas ever and I have never been so thankful of everything I have.”

Beau is now thriving and Jasmine is organising a fundraiser in aid of the Bristol Ronald McDonald House.

She is hoping to raise £1,000 at a gig night at the Prince Albert on Saturday, April 4. There is also a collection tin at Made in Stroud.