Riley Ferguson is being kept alive by a cow vein and valve.

Cow parts are hardly ever used in children, especially those as tiny as Riley. But his heart was so malformed Royal Children’s Hospital surgeons had to rebuild it.

In an incredibly rare operation, the new parts were put into Riley’s heart to keep it beating. Almost immediately Riley’s health took a massive turn for the better. He no longer vomits his food at feeding time, he no longer has icey cold feet or turns blue, and he is now a happy child.

Photo courtesy of the Herald Sun.