Delivered prematurely through an emergency caesarean section, baby Caleb’s life was saved with the aid of a point of care ultrasound (POCUS) machine.
Now, his story has allowed the Western Health Foundation to raise $154,000 to purchase a new POCUS machine that will help treat more babies moving forward.
In July 2022, Caleb’s mum, Emily visited the Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s hospital for her 34-week ultrasound.
A Western Health doctor noticed that her baby, Caleb, had developed a condition called foetal hydrops, causing a severe fluid build-up in his lungs.
The next day, Emily was rushed in for an emergency caesarean section after Caleb’s heart rate dropped dangerously low. Soon after, Western Health said Caleb was born, premature and extremely unwell.
Due to the fluid build-up in his lungs, Caleb had stopped breathing and the Western Health team set up the POCUS machine in the operating theatre.
Using the POCUS machine, Western Health doctors could determine the depth of the fluid in his lungs as well as its precise location. This allowed the neonatologists to accurately insert drains into Caleb’s tiny lungs to remove the fluid.
In October 2022, after 100 days spent in hospital, Caleb was finally ready to go home with his parents.
Caleb’s mum, Emily said she and her family were ‘eternally thankful’ to the staff at the Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s hospital.
“Without them, and the incredible POCUS machine, our gorgeous Caleb would not be here with us today. [Bringing Caleb home] was such a joyful day, we were so thankful that Caleb was healthy and could finally come home and be with his daddy and me,” she said,
The ultrasound machine is set to be of enormous benefit as the Western Health Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) moves into caring for extremely preterm babies.
Western Health said the timing is critical, as almost 7,000 babies are delivered each year at the hospital, with the numbers expected to grow over the coming years.
Western Health clinician Dr Penny Kee said Caleb’s story is not unique.
“Every day I care for sick and small babies who need specialised care and equipment to keep them alive, and every year, the number of premature babies we care for continues to increase,” she said.
The funds raised were a joint effort between the generosity of the community who heard baby Caleb’s story, along with corporate sponsorship.
To support Western Health Foundation as they raise funds for additional life-saving equipment, donate here: give.whfoundation.org.au/donate-now
