A teenager with four heart defects is refusing to let it get in the way of his dream, and has eight university offers to play football in America.

Cameron Anderson did not have the easiest start in life – he was not expected to live past 12 months.

He had heart surgery around his first birthday and a second operation around his second birthday. By his third birthday the stents in his legs had caused his arteries to fuse together. One leg had stopped growing, so another operation was needed.

He is due to go under the knife a fourth time this year to fix a leaking heart valve and a murmur, and requires regular hospital check-ups for the rest of his life.

But the 19-year-old from Reed Court in Ingress Park, Greenhithe, does not let any of it stop him.

Leaving Swan Valley school (now Ebbsfleet Academy) with 13 GCSEs A* to Cs, he got a place at West Ham Community College and plays in the West ham Conference Youth Alliance.

With his four years of study almost up, he is now looking to university and after being scouted during a game, eight American colleges have offered him a place.

He has to score well on his next set of exams, as the size of the scholarship he receives will depend on his results.

Mum Jackie Lafferty, and dad, Mo, are proud of their son. Jackie, 49, said: “As soon as Cameron could walk he was kicking a football, and as soon as he could talk he said that was all he ever wanted to do.

“We’re big football fans, and Arsenal supporters, but the West Ham youth scheme is brilliant.

“He’s been working hard and should do well on his exams, so were hopeful he’ll get 100% of the scholarship, but we’re trying to pull some money together just in case, and to go towards the cost of his medical insurance out there, and flights. He’s always wanted to travel and would love to play in the American equivalent of the Premiership.

“He always says, ‘you only get one life, you’ve got to live it’. With his heart condition, he is at real risk of a sudden heart attack. He’s fit and well at the moment, but you don’t know what the future has in store.

“His condition held him back in his early years, but he’s not letting it stop him now. He has regular health checks and takes as good care of himself as he possibly can.”

His first choice university, Presentation College in South Dakota, has a specialist cardiac centre just 10 minutes away.

To help him on his goal visit his Go Fund Me page.

To check out his skills, a video, used to apply to the universities, can be found under a search of his name in YouTube.