CHRISTMAS is an important time of year for many families, especially for Bridget and Gareth James and their children Elain and Martha from

The family was left devastated when tests revealed Elain had multiple, complicated heart conditions.

Now, the James family know the value of each Christmas and creating as many precious moments as they can together.

The James family have to balance extra care for Elain whilst also functioning as a family. The five-year-old also battles a rare genetic

disorder and has a permanent feeding tube. The sad news is that, although in many cases the heart condition is repairable; it is unfortunately not in her case. Whilst Elain’s condition is stable at the moment and she enjoys a good quality of life, the time will come when her condition deteriorates.

But with support from Ty Hafan, the hospice for children in Wales, the

James family have been able to start enjoying the special time they have with one another once again.

This winter, Elain and her family have been selected to front Ty Hafan’s Christmas Precious Moments appeal, which aims to raise funds to enable the charity to continue to provide the emotional and practical support to families who have children with life-limiting conditions.

Bridget said: “Elain loves Ty Hafan. They are a lifeline for us and help us create special memories which we’ll cherish forever.

For the full story, see this week’s south editions of the Cambrian News, in shops on Wednesday