A couple have described their “tiny” five-month-old daughter as a “fighter” after she defied the odds when her heart swelled to “cover most of her chest” and doctors warned she might not pull through. Zoe and Steven Taylor’s daughter Ada-Mai, now two, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, had been perfectly healthy until she suddenly stopped feeding one evening and turned “completely pale and lifeless”.

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After being seen by several doctors, hospital tests confirmed that “her heart was massively enlarged”, to the extent that it was covering most of her chest and failing to pump blood around her body effectively. Following a fortnight of investigations, X-rays and tests, doctors diagnosed Ada-Mai with cardiomyopathy, a disease affecting the heart muscle. Zoe, 36, and Steven, 40, were warned that their daughter’s chances of survival were slim.

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However, to the astonishment of her medical team, Ada-Mai gradually began to improve and, after six weeks in hospital, was well enough to return home, where her parents were required to administer nine different medications, fluids and injections every two to three hours. Ada-Mai has since become something of a celebrity at local hospitals, having surpassed all medical expectations. She is no longer on any medication and has said she is feeling “good”.

“We know we’ve still got a long road ahead, but we’re so proud of her,” Steven said. “She’s a miracle, really.”

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Ada-Mai with her father Steven(Image: PA Real Life)
When Ada-Mai arrived in March 2024, Zoe and Steven recalled that “everything seemed perfect”. They noted she was “not poorly once” during the initial weeks, but at approximately five months old, she abruptly stopped feeding and appeared “tired all the time”.