The long and the short of it - Moorabbin Glen Eira Leader
HE’S 1.95m tall and he’s only 13 years old. The reason for Marcus Frigo’s above-average height is Marfan syndrome. Apart from long limbs, the genetic disorder has a more serious effect on Marcus’s heart. He has already had major heart surgery to fix his aortic arch, which connects to his heart valve. To make life easier for Marcus, he was given a pacemaker earlier this month at Monash Medical Centre in Clayton.The device is the first of its kind and is compatible for use in MRI machines. Marcus said he had made huge steps in bettering his quality of life after the operation.
‘‘I’ve got more energy, I can walk longer distances and I’m not as tired as much,’’ he said. Marcus will need to have regular scans to monitor his progress, and his new pacemaker, unlike standard pacemakers, should not be affected by an MRI machine. Southern Health paediatric cardiac surgeon Dr Andrew Cochrane said the new pacemaker would prevent any complications from having an MRI scan. Marcus’s mother, Lauren Delaney, said Marcus had been more active since the operation. Marcus is expected to reach at least 2.13m when he finishes growing but is quite content with his tall stature.
‘‘He thinks it’s pretty cool to be bigger,’’ Mrs Delaney said. ‘‘The only problem is people think he’s older than he is.