Little Oliver Stevenson-Woodhead is defying the odds.

The tot, who celebrated his first birthday this week, was not expected to have any quality of life.

A rare chromosome deficiency was expected to mean he would never walk, never talk and have the mental capacity of a baby all his life. He also has heart valve problems, which mean his heart is working twice as hard as normal.

Yet Oliver, who has undergone a series of hospital treatments, is already sitting up unaided, rolling over, making coo-ing sounds and eating solid foods.

That has delighted his parents, Laura Woodhead and Lucinda Stevenson, who have vowed to do all they can to make sure he has a full life.

And they have also pledged to raise money for the British Heart Foundation to help other youngsters. The Elland couple, who both work in Huddersfield, have already raised more than £1,000 and have more fundraising events planned.

Laura, 25, who is a family worker at Deighton’s Chestnut Childrens Centre, said: “Our gorgeous boy Oliver was born with a rare genetic condition and when we were told he had a depletion of a chromosome our world crumbled.

“He was not expected to achieve anything. He was expected to have several issues with his main organs, struggle to gain and maintain his weight and it was not expected that Oliver will talk or even walk.

“He spent a week in intensive care when he was just three weeks old and then seven more weeks in special care after being diagnosed. He also has pulmonary stenosis which means his main heart valve is too narrow so his heart is working twice as hard to get oxygenated blood into his body!

“Oliver has also been in for surgery in Leeds and has had his appendix removed and a hernia operation”

But Laura and Lucinda, 34, who is a contact officer with Kirklees Council, are delighted with his progress. He celebrated his first birthday and they have already seen him do far more than anyone ever expected.

“People would upset us when they saw Oliver and said: ’That baby looks like he is dying’.

“He is able to take oral feeds, he can sit up unaided and has learned to roll over.

“He is making babbling sounds and cooing noises, and we are determined he will both talk and walk.

“Every little thing like those may seem a small step to others but is a giant leap for us. Oliver is a really happy baby and we will make sure he has a full life”.

The pair raised £100 by selling treats amongst colleagues at Chestnut Children’s Centre to link in with the national British Heart Foundation campaign ‘Wear it, Beat it’.

Oliver’s day care provider Bradley Bar Private Nursery participated in the ‘wear it beat it’ and all the children paid £1 to wear red and sold buns, collecting £107. And Chestnut Nursery took part in wearing red and did lots of red activities to raise £75.

A close family friend, Danielle Swaine, is taking part in the 70mile Great Yorkshire Bike Ride in the summer raising more funds in Oliver’s name along with other events being held in the summer to raise funds for BHF by Ruth Joanne School of Ballet and Longwood Bowling Club.

Click here to visit Oliver's Just Giving page.