Thurgoona's Max Corrigan will walk for congenital heart disease

Others don't look at the 10-year-old differently, and "he never wanted to be treated any differently," Mrs Corrigan said, of the hypoplastic left heart syndrome diagnosis made when Max was just two-days-old.

Although he has some limitations, it's never stopped Max from living life to the fullest with his mum and two siblings, Madeline and Thomas, both 8, and Ruby, their dog.

"Max underwent four open heart surgeries before age four," Mrs Corrigan said.

"He had two ways of living; I could have put him in a bubble, and he would have probably been a sickly kid, but we treated him like any other kid in our life, and he's pretty normal.

"As serious as his heart condition is, he knows his limitations. He'll set himself back but won't let anything stop him.

"He won't use his condition as a barrier and will give everything a go."

Max said having great friends surround him helped him remain positive, as did being in the outdoors.

"He does amazing," Mrs Corrigan said.

"It can be exhausting, especially with long days and yearly check-ups in Melbourne at the Royal Children's Hospital.

"He has a nice groovy scar to show for it and one that he is proud to show now too."

Mrs Corrigan said life had been a "bit of a rollercoaster" over the past six years, given the death of her husband, Hayden.

"He is my very brave boy," she said.

"Hayden would be very proud of him."

The family wants to connect and reach other children with heart conditions by taking part in HeartKids' Two Feet & A Heartbeat in Wodonga on Sunday, October 15.

Two Feet & A Heartbeat is a charity event that brings together HeartKids families and the community for a 4-kilometre walk to support those impacted by congenital heart disease.

"Max is very excited for the walk," she said. "He wants to raise $500 but has already gone over it.

"His heart condition is one of the biggest killers of kids in the world, but I suppose because you don't see it, it's not something that people sort of go out and fundraise for."

Mrs Corrigan said only a few people had registered but hoped more would join.

"Whatever numbers turn up, we are going to go out and do it proudly," she said.

"I'm not a 'poor me' person. We do everything on our own. We don't ask for handouts. We've always just soldiered on.

"But if anything, we want to raise awareness because when I was pregnant, I had no idea of heart disease at all; when they told us the news in Wodonga that he had half a heart, I didn't think it was possible.

"It's just something random that happens, and I want people to realise that."

Mrs Corrigan said that although it had been challenging, there was "a positive side" too.

"At the end of the day, we support each other in this family, which was why Max was happy to come out to the media."

To register for Two Feet & A Heartbeat, head to twofeetheartbeat.org.au.

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