With the big, beaming smile eight-month old Callie Sloane had on her face over the weekend, it would've been surprising to hear she had faced open heart surgery weeks prior.
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Callie's surgery was made possible off the back of a successful fundraiser held at Paddy's Hotel in February for HeartKids, a charity dedicated to working with people with a heart condition.
Caryn Pender, Callie's mum, said the fundraiser successfully raised $27,000.
"It was a successful evening, and we can't thank Paddy's Hotel and local businesses enough for their support," Ms Pender said.
"Callie had her surgery three weeks ago, and she's doing fantastic, and HeartKids were simply unbelievable in supporting us throughout.
Callie had her surgery three weeks ago, and she's doing fantastic.
- Caryn Pender, Callie's mum
"From the moment we got to Westmead, they gave us care packages and vouchers, and they were in touch every day to see how Callie was going, so it showed it was a great decision to support them."
Ms Pender and Callie were invited by HeartKids and Euro-Cruisers Australia to a raffle event at Mount Panorama's Chicane Bar & Grill on Sunday supporting the charity.
HeartKids NSW ACT state manager Janyne Hogan said the charity has a presence in every Australian state.
"We had the privilege of supporting Callie and her family throughout her surgery and will continue to do so as she recovers," Ms Hogan said.
"Our purpose is supporting families affected by childhood heart disease, and we strive to continue supporting families throughout their lives."
Euro-Cruisers Australia president Paul Stewart said the group brought around 100 European cars to Mount Panorama on Sunday to team with the raffle for HeartKids.
"We have group members who have used HeartKids for support in the past, so we know it's a vital charity," Mr Stewart said.
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