Can you help make life a little bit easier?

Dean and Becca are a couple in Northern Ireland who have been trying to start a family for a number of years, they were delighted to receive the news earlier this year that they were expecting a baby.

 

The parents to be were extremely excited to start this journey and believed everything to be going smoothly with the pregnancy up until 1 week after finding out the gender.

 

They attended a follow up scan to get a better view of their baby boy as the previous scans had not been very clear, it was at this scan they were given the news their baby had a rare life threatening condition, diaphragmatic hernia.

 

Diaphragmatic hernia is a birth defect where there is a hole in the babies diaphragm. The organs in the abdomen , such as intestines, stomach, and liver, push up and move through the hole in the diaphragm into the baby's chest, meaning the organs in the top of the diaphragm to not have room to develop properly.

 

Due to the severity of the condition the treatment for the baby has to be provided whilst still in the womb. This treatment consists of the baby being put under anaesthetic, a camera being inserted into the womb and an inflation device being put down into the baby's lungs. This device is used to expand the lungs therefore giving them more of a chance to develop. As you can imagine this procedure is extremely stressful for both mum and baby.

 

Dean and Becca are the first couple in Northern Ireland to avail of this treatment before the baby is born giving the baby the best chance of survival, however because this treatment cannot be provided in Northern Ireland they must travel and stay in London for a minimum of 6 weeks.

 

2 weeks ago Dean and Becca travelled to London for the second time in two weeks where Becca and Baby underwent the procedure immediately. There are a lot of risks involved with this procedure, including the risk of early labour which could threaten the life of the baby or cause implications that could extend the length of their stay extensively. Dean and Becca need to stay in London for the oncoming weeks, for follow up appointments and for the removal of this device before the baby is born, giving all treatment goes to plan. Up until now the procedure is showing promising signs however nothing can be confirmed until the removal of this device and ongoing care is provided.

 

If all the treatment goes as planned the parents are hoping to travel home to Northern Ireland to continue further treatment and care at the special care unit at the royal hospital, Belfast, where we hope the baby can be delivered at full term by the team there. We are hopeful the procedure in place will go to plan, however after delivery extensive specialist care for the baby will be needed for a prolonged period of time, causing more stress and financial difficulties for the parents.

 

Whilst staying in London they are constantly having to move around different accommodation, kindly provided by the NHS, whilst trying to stay close to the hospitals they are receiving treatment in. Due to the travel commitments, the raised living costs and reduction of income the parents to be are finding themselves in a difficult financial position and struggling to pay for basic needs, adding more pressure to their extremely stressful situation. Although this will not be a straight forward journey for the parents or the baby it is the best option and we are hoping everything goes as planned.

 

We cannot thank the NHS enough for all they are doing and for the excellent care they are providing during this time both in London and Northern Ireland. However there is only so much the NHS can provide and we are asking if anyone can spare anything at all it would be greatly appreciated to give the parents to be one less thing to worry about in this stressful, scary and unpredictable time.

 

You can find out more on this story at Dad to be's you tube video here,

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x35p_6M8iBk

 

This go fund me page has been set up by family Members of Dean and Becca.

All and any donations are greatly appreciated for this cause and will be helping a family in need.

Every little helps and even a share is appreciated.