Morgan-James’ Journey

A little boy fighting a very big battle

On behalf of the Jarvie family, and with their full permission, I am setting up this GoFundMe to support them through what is an incredibly difficult and overwhelming time.

Baby Morgan-James is one of five much-loved siblings. He has three sisters and one brother: Lilly (12 – turning 13 in February), Charlie (8), Megan (6 – turning 7 in January), and Marnielynn (5 – turning 6 in February), who is also severely autistic and non-verbal.

Morgan was born in September into a busy, loving home. Like any family welcoming a newborn, his parents were enjoying those precious early weeks and their newborn bubble.

However, very early on, they noticed something wasn’t right. Morgan struggled to feed, wasn’t gaining weight, had difficulty passing bowel movements, and was constantly exhausted. From just two weeks old, he was taken repeatedly to the GP and Basingstoke Hospital. Each time, the family was reassured that he was “absolutely fine” and simply a small baby.

Despite this reassurance, Morgan’s parents knew in their hearts that something was medically wrong and continued to push for answers. Eventually, during a Health Visitor drop-in clinic, they were finally listened to. Morgan was sent straight back to Basingstoke Hospital, where on 5th December it was discovered that he had a large Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD). By this point, Morgan was already in heart failure, with blood filling his tiny lungs.

In that moment, the family’s lives were turned upside down. Their baby boy was very seriously ill.

The initial plan was to stabilise Morgan at Basingstoke Hospital while waiting for a bed to become available at Southampton Hospital for specialist care. Sadly, over the weekend, Morgan’s little body continued to fight so hard. As doctors worked to find the right medication to drain the fluid from his lungs, he went into acute kidney failure.

Because of this, his transfer to Southampton Hospital came sooner than expected, and Morgan was moved there on Sunday 7th December. He originally went to Ocean ward before being moved into Picu before his operation, and is currently where he still is.

On Thursday 11th December, Morgan underwent Pulmonary Artery Banding surgery. This involved placing a band around his pulmonary artery to reduce the amount of blood flowing to his lungs. It is a temporary but lifesaving procedure, commonly used for babies with large heart defects, helping to prevent further heart failure and lung damage until they are strong and big enough for open-heart surgery.

At just 11 weeks old, Morgan weighs only 7lbs, which means he is currently too small for a permanent repair. When he is bigger and stronger, he will need a second operation to permanently close the VSD, usually using a patch. This two-stage approach is common in very poorly babies, as it makes the final surgery much safer. The band will then be removed or adjusted during that operation.

This family is now facing weeks and months of uncertainty—long hospital stays, constant travel, time away from their other children, and being split between them due to their individual needs. On top of this is the unimaginable emotional strain of watching their baby fight such a serious battle.

Any support—whether through donations or simply sharing this page—will help ease the financial pressure and allow Morgan’s parents to focus entirely on being by his side while he continues to fight.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read Morgan-James’ story and for any support you can give.