Baby Joseph Lives Against The Odds

Canberra Times

Doctors had suggested Csaba and Anne Ovari take their newborn baby Joseph home to die. Five months and two surgeries later, Joseph continues to defy his congenital heart defect.

The Ovari’s 11th child was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome – the left side of the heart had failed to develop properly and the outlook was grim, according to specialists.

But Mr and Mrs Óvári refused to give up and moved their family to Melbourne so their son could have life-saving reconstructive surgery involving open-heart operations in three stages.

“We were told that our baby’s future was very grim… it was even suggested that it may be better to take him home to die,” Mr Óvári said.

Their daughter, Imogen, was stillborn, and the couple was prepared to do everything possible to help Joseph live. Yesterday, a smiling five-month-old Joseph was sitting on the kitchen table in his family home at Oaks Estate in the ACT, posing for the camera and reaching for a pen and coffee mug. The “zipper” on his chest was the only physical evidence of his ordeal.

Joseph was born on October 4 last year at the Canberra Hospital, and came home on the same day. He was admitted to the hospital’s intensive care unit four days later after he had trouble feeding, his breathing was irregular and he appeared lethargic.

Joseph was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect and transferred by emergency helicopter to Sydney’s Westmead Hospital to see a paediatric cardiologist. On October 12 he underwent his first procedure, in which a balloon was inserted to inflate and stretch open his heart valve.

“We had hoped that his heart condition could be successfully treated with a less intrusive balloon valvuloplasty so that he would not have undergo the Norwood procedure,” his parents said. “This was not the case and Joseph had to be transferred to the [Royal Children’s Hospital] in Melbourne.”

In Melbourne, Joseph had successful open heart surgeries on October 29 and January 23, but would need another operation between the ages of 18 months and four years.

Mr and Mrs Óvári have decided to set up a support group for families in a similar situation, to share stories and information about treatments. For more information visit http://www.hlhs-oz.info/