Joshua Newman British newborn suffers six cardiac arrests Country: Great Britain

1. The Miracle Baby: Joshua Newman
2. A Life-Threatening Heart Condition
3. A Groundbreaking Surgery and Hope for Other Infants
4. A Grateful Mother Giving Back

The Miracle Baby: Joshua Newman

Joshua Newman, a newborn from Britain, defied death six times, astonishingly surviving six heart stoppages and being reunited with his loving parents, who had struggled with infertility for eight long years. Joshua's mother, Suzy, and her husband Alan turned to IVF to conceive a child. During a routine scan at twenty weeks, it was discovered that the baby had a heart condition that would require surgical intervention after birth. Suzy said, "When Joshua arrived, it felt like a nightmare. It was surreal." Joshua was born three months premature, and within two hours of his birth, his heart stopped beating four times. Suzy said, "We couldn't believe it. Four heart stoppages! It was terrifying." All his parents could do was anxiously wait for updates from the intensive care unit.

A Life-Threatening Heart Condition

Even before his birth, Joshua was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. He was born with two holes in his heart and a narrowed aorta, the main artery in the body. The narrow artery caused Joshua's tiny heart to stop pumping blood throughout his body. The decision was made to delay surgery to widen his aorta until Joshua could gain weight and grow stronger. However, his condition worsened, and he suffered his fifth heart attack, leaving his parents desperately seeking immediate medical intervention. Suzy recalled being petrified when doctors couldn't guarantee Joshua's chances of survival. She said, "The anesthesiologist told me they couldn't predict anything because they had never performed such a surgery on such a small baby." The waiting period, uncertain of whether Joshua would survive or not, was one of the worst experiences for Suzy and Alan. The news of Joshua's survival brought tears of joy and relief to the couple. Suzy said, "We cried and embraced each other right in the middle of the street."

A Groundbreaking Surgery and Hope for Other Infants

On the same day, London's Royal Brompton Hospital made headlines by successfully pioneering a new operation that could save the lives of other tiny infants in the future. Unfortunately, further tests revealed that Joshua needed another operation. Fortunately, the second attempt was more successful. In addition to a tissue transplant, doctors repaired the small holes in Joshua's heart. Suzy said, "After eight very long hours, they brought our little hero out of surgery, and it was amazing to witness it all for the second time. However, his condition deteriorated, and a few days later, he suffered another heart attack. We couldn't believe it. Another one! But he quickly recovered." After spending nineteen weeks in the intensive care unit, Joshua finally became stable, and the doctors allowed him to breathe on his own. Suzy described herself as being on cloud nine when, after twenty-two weeks of his birth, she was allowed to bring him home to Chelmsford. She said, "Walking through the doors of our home, without the presence of cars, nurses, and doctors, was the scariest thing ever."

A Grateful Mother Giving Back

Currently, Suzy is actively involved in fundraising for the Royal Brompton Hospital, where a new operating theater is needed. She explained, "In total, we need to raise £4.5 million, but we are determined to contribute. They saved our son's life, and there's no greater happiness than that."