Glasgow baby set to undergo open heart surgery to save her life

Little Ruby-Lynn McCallum was born weighing just 3lbs 12oz and had to be resuscitated three times after being delivered.

Mum Brooke discovered at her 20-week scan that her daughter had one kidney and wasn’t growing properly and, after being sent to a specialist, was told her baby has four serious heart defects rolled into one, known as Tetralogy of Fallot.

Speaking exclusively to the Glasgow Times, Brooke said: “My little warrior has amazed medics and defied the odds.

“She’s such a happy wee girl and is always smiling. I’m just so proud of how she has coped with everything, she just takes it all in her stride.

"I was basically told that because her heart was so damaged, she probably wouldn’t live for long.

READ MORE: Glasgow residents call for halt to Mansionhead Road flats plan

“Her condition is so rare that she needs a full heart repair, but because she was so small it was too risky to operate until she put on some weight.

“She’s now 10-months-old and almost 16lb, so medics are happy to go ahead with surgery. Although she’s small for her age, she’s made great strides. The doctors are amazed at how well she is doing."

Ruby-Lynn’s operation is set to take place today at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. Her condition is so uncommon that only 30 surgeries of this type have been carried out by the expert medical team.

If successful, the complex procedure will mean that Ruby-Lynn won’t have to face any further operations until she reaches her 20s.

Brooke, from Glasgow city centre, explains: “It’s terrifying knowing that she faces open heart surgery before her first birthday, but it has to be done.

“I don’t know how I’ll feel handing her over but I do know she has the best medical team in the world looking after her. She’ll be in the theatre anywhere between eight to 10 hours and we know it is a huge surgery, and one that is not without risks, but she needs this to live a healthy and happy life.

“She is the strongest little girl I’ve ever met and her doctors are convinced she’s going to be absolutely fine.”

Brooke hopes sharing her story will help to raise awareness of the condition and admits the diagnosis during her pregnancy came as a huge shock.

Once doctors noticed abnormalities in her baby's heart, she was closely monitored by a team of specialists.

READ MORE: Thistle Fencing pays Glasgow bus lane fines for homeless charity

Brooke, 20, says her pregnancy was fraught with worry as she had no idea what the future would hold.

She said: “When I fell pregnant everything seemed fine - and then at my 20-week scan everything changed.

“It was absolutely terrifying knowing my daughter would be born with serious health problems and I was constantly worried and stressed about what could happen.

“I was having regular scans, around two per week, and just knowing that my baby was being monitored so well gave me comfort.

“She was small for how far along I was in the pregnancy and they started to suspect something called Edwards' syndrome.

“I was told that most babies born with this condition don’t make it past the first few hours or days. It was awful to hear and all I could do was hope she would be okay. The last few months before she arrived were terrible as I was preparing for the worst to happen."

Brooke was induced on March 4 last year and was told by medics that if Ruby-Lynn had Edwards' syndrome she would be unable to have heart surgery.

She adds: “It was a case of having to decide what was the fairest thing to do. When she was born she wasn’t breathing. On the third attempt with a breathing tube, she let out a tiny cry and that was a massive relief.

“Ruby-Lynn spent weeks in neo-natal care and on the day she was due to be discharged tests showed she was negative for Edwards’ syndrome. It was such a relief but they discovered she had developed a rare chromosome problem that caused her heart defects.

“She’s such a happy wee baby and is always smiling. She’s an incredible wee fighter and I know nothing will hold her back in life. We just have to get through the surgery and then focus on giving her the time she needs to recover.

“I’m so proud of my princess."