Tanja Spanswick, of Boscombe Down, with two-year-old Shannon, one of her two daughters. DA4389P1WHEN young mum Tanja Spanswick started having chest pains, she thought she was suffering from stress.

She did not expect to be told she had a potentially fatal heart condition.

The 29-year-old mother-of-two, of Amesbury, only discovered last year that she had been living with a hole in her heart since birth.

To add to her shock, doctors told her that, unless she had heart surgery, she would die by the time she was 35.

Her story highlights the warning Salisbury doctors gave last week that heart conditions do not just affect older people.

Figures from Salisbury District Hospital show that a young person is rushed into hospital every month with a major heart problem of which they were previously unaware.

Tanja, a cleaner who has now had to give up her job, remembers that, as a child, she wasn't very good at sport because she was always breathless. But no one ever suspected there was anything wrong.

It was only when she was rushed to hospital with chest pains that tests showed a hole in her heart.

She said: "I was totally shocked. I had no idea that I had been living with such a time-bomb." Tanja is now one of hundreds of people on a long waiting list for heart surgery at Southampton General Hospital. It could be another year before her appointment comes through.

She has now pledged to do whatever she can to help raise the final £400,000 for Salisbury District Hospital's £1m Ace of Hearts appeal to build a new cardiac unit.

Salisbury Hospital's charity Share is currently running the Drinks On Me campaign to raise money through the city's pubs and clubs, and on December 1 the final push starts, with the £1 Million In A Million Seconds event.

People are being asked to raise the remaining money by December 15 so that the new heart unit can be in place by next April.

During this time, Chicago Rock Cafe, Salisbury, will play the charity's promotional film on the appeal several times a day and will also house a new totaliser.

Share is encouraging the community to support the Ace of Hearts Appeal by joining in.

There are many ways in which individuals, groups and companies can help.

Please contact the charity office to discuss your fundraising ideas.

Call 01722 429005 or complete a response form and make a pledge.

Share, c/o Salisbury District Hospital, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP2 8BJ, e-mail: sharecharity@salisbury.nhs.uk

The staff at Southern Counties Auctioneers raised more than £2,700 from a 'Name the Cow' competition and a dance held recently. Spokesperson Avril Thorne said: "We've all had great fun fundraising for the Ace of Hearts appeal and we are thrilled to support a worthy local cause."

Opera star Belinda Evans is performing at Salisbury Methodist Church on November 28 to raise money for the appeal. See page 10.