New Year brings new challenges for everybody, but a two-year-old girl with an incurable heart defect faces more than most.

Olivia Wilkinson, of Ilkley, underwent 18 hours of surgery at Leeds General Infirmary hours after she was born.

She had to be resuscitated on two occasions during the operations in 2008 as surgeons massaged her tiny heart to keep it beating.

But the toddler is still battling against all the odds and her doting parents are enjoying every moment they can with her.

Olivia faces one final “significant” operation in 2011, which should help her condition and improve her quality of life, but unfortunately it is no cure for her heart problems.

And because her future is far from certain, her parents, Naomi and Shaun of East Parade, are intent on treasuring every moment they have with her.

“We are very lucky,” said Mrs Wilkinson, who has two other daughters, Megan, five, and Molly, six months.

“Although we wouldn’t have said that two years ago when she was born.

“She’ll be three in March, which is a bit of a miracle. She just gives everything her body can.

“Hopefully she’s got one more significant operation they can do and hopefully it’s successful.

“It will give us the most amount of time we can have with her.”

The cold weather has not been ideal for Olivia’s health and Mrs Wilkinson said she sometimes “goes blue or purple when she gets cold”.

But despite her health battles, the youngster still manages to give her mum the runaround at times.

“She’s lots of mischief,” Mrs Wilkinson said. “It’s been a busy year and now she’s got a baby sister as well.

“We’ve got a good support of friends and family are great too. We have been supported by the local community since she was born. She’s on medication every day and everybody comments on how small she is for her age. Some days she manages to walk to school to pick up Megan, but others it’s a struggle.

“We’re just so happy to have as much time with her as possible.”

The Wilkinsons have been trying to help out at the hospital which saved and supports Olivia’s life.

Each Christmas they raise money for the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund at the hospital by selling bags of ‘reindeer’ food. Having made about 2,000 bags this year, they hope to raise hundreds of pounds for the cause.