By Callum Ludwig
Grateful every day to see the big smile of six-month-old Donnie, the Healy family from Wandin is preparing to Run For The Kids to support the Royal Children’s Hospital.
After multiple rounds of IVF, Liz and Joel Healy were delighted to welcome Donnie into the family, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing.
20 weeks into the pregnancy, doctors discovered cysts on Donnie’s lungs that were squishing his heart after a scan.
Ms Healy said they had to go to a specialist, as the cysts had grown quite quickly.
“They were causing pressure on his heart, and we went to the Mercy Hospital [For Women]. From 20 weeks until he was delivered, I went to the hospital 35 times and we had seven procedures while he was in utero, which included placing two shunts.” she said.
“We were so relieved he was born breathing on his own. On day two we were transferred to the Royal Children’s Hospital, as he had to go on a ventilator and have surgery to remove the cystic lobe on his lung, and another month was spent with him in the hospital in recovery.”
Hydrops is a condition in which large amounts of fluid build up in a baby’s tissues and organs causing swelling.
Ms Healy said she was amazed and indebted to the support and work of the Mercy Hospital for Women and the Royal Children’s Hospital.
“Donnie wouldn’t have been here if it wasn’t for the procedures we undertook, each one of which I was awake and we were watching on the screen,” she said.
“It was extremely stressful and intense, but we had such a skilled and positive medical team, supporting us the whole way through, helping us step by step to do everything we needed to get him to be big and strong enough to be able to deliver.”
Dr Alison Fung at the Mercy Hospital for Women and Dr Joe Crameri at the Royal Children’s Hospital performed the delicate procedures before and after Donnie’s birth respectively, while the Butterfly Ward of the Royal Children’s Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit was also a big part of Donnie’s care and recovery.
Ms Healy said the Run For the Kids event is super important for them.
“I’ve always loved running and it has always helped me, especially in times of stress. I was unable to run during most of my pregnancy and to be able to do something I love with our friends and family and also raise money for the hospital means so much to us,” she said.
“Obviously, everyone loves their babies, but to fight so hard to have him, I don’t think there’s any bigger love. We are so grateful and appreciate every day so much. He is the most delightful baby and has brought so much happiness to so many.”
Anyone who wants to support Team Donnie can do so here: www.runforthekids.gofundraise.com.au/page/TeamDonnie
