The family of a baby who underwent lifesaving treatment just hours after she was born have thanked clinical teams at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL) for saving her life.
Amelia, from Wales, was diagnosed in the womb with a Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH), a rare condition where the diaphragm does not form properly, which means abdominal organs can move into the chest, preventing the lungs and heart from developing properly.
When Amelia was born, she became critically unwell, and despite intensive support, her breathing could not be stabilised. Within hours, clinicians from UHL’s ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) service had travelled to Cardiff to put her on ECMO before transferring her to the Leicester Royal Infirmary (LRI).
UHL is one of only a few centres in the UK able to provide ECMO, an advanced life support that acts as an artificial heart–lung machine.
Ameila’s mum, Emma, remembers that day: “After she was born, the team in Cardiff tried absolutely everything, but they just couldn’t get her breathing under control – her oxygen levels were so low, and nothing was working. Within hours the team travelled all the way to Cardiff, put her on ECMO right there on the unit, and then transported her safely to Leicester. There’s never any guarantee they’ll be well enough for ECMO but the decision saved her life.”
Amelia went on to spend a month in the Cardiac Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (CPICU) at the LRI, which included nearly 20 days on ECMO, and three complex surgeries to repair her diaphragm and stabilise her condition. Once strong enough, she was transferred back to Cardiff for further recovery before finally being discharged home.
Chris Harvey, ECMO Consultant at UHL who cared for Ameila and travelled to Cardiff to transfer her to Leicester, said: “Amelia was extremely unwell when we arrived in Cardiff and we were able to put her on ECMO there and then, and she improved immediately. Her time on ECMO wasn’t easy for her, but she had the fight in her to pull through. Knowing that she is now home and preparing for her first Christmas is exactly why we do this job, and we are incredibly proud of the care we provide for babies like Amelia.”
Chris and his team travel across the country by road, helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft when needed to support babies and children who need ECMO.
Chris added: “We’re one of the only centres in the UK that provides a fully mobile ECMO service, so we get called to the sickest of the sick, wherever they are. The same day we brought Amelia back from Cardiff, we were straight out again to Sheffield for another critically ill baby. It’s success stories like this that makes the nights in the ambulance all worthwhile.”
Now at home, Ameila and her family are preparing for their first Christmas as a family. Emma said: “She’s a completely different baby now. We weren’t sure we’d even get one day with her, and now we’re looking forward to celebrating our first Christmas as a family. We’re so incredibly grateful for everything the team has done for her.”