13-year-old wins golf tournament 12 weeks after heart surgery

Evelina London Children's Hospital patient, James Cooper has made a speedy recovery from open heart surgery.

A keen golfer, James (13) from Sudbury in Suffolk has won a competition at his local club less than 12 weeks after undergoing surgery at the start of his school summer holidays.

James Cooper won the Junior Shield at Newton Green Golf Club, near Sudbury and says he is "thrilled" with his win. 

During a two-and-a-half hour operation at the Evelina London at the start of August, James had a membrane removed from the aorta, under the care of consultant heart surgeon Mr Caner Salih.

He spent a week in hospital and had to have a chest drain put in to drain fluid five days after the initial heart operation.

James says: "It was a long week in hospital but everyone there looked after me really well.

"I am just so glad to be back playing golf and was really pleased to win the shield."

James has impressed his doctors with his recovery and is not due to have another check up until April.

He was also able to join his friends at Ormiston Sudbury Academy for the first day of the new school term in September.

His mum, Nicki Dixon, says: "James loves his golf and his tennis and was very keen to get back into both of them and I think this speeded up his recovery, along with the fantastic care and support from his doctors and nurses on Camel Ward at Evelina London.

"I would just like to thank everyone there for looking after him, and me! 

"It wasn't the greatest way to spend the summer holiday but all the staff were brilliant."