Lydia Germon Little Welsh girl with Dandy-Walker syndrome Date of Birth: 10.2015Год Country: Great Britain

Biography of Lydia Jerman

Lydia Jerman, a little Welsh girl with Dandy-Walker syndrome, was born in October 2015 with a cerebellar development anomaly. Doctors gave her only 24 hours to live, but her Welsh mother, Bethan, started raising the necessary £50,000 for life-saving treatment in the United States. Despite numerous surgeries, the doctors said that nothing more could be done for Lydia due to the Dandy-Walker syndrome, which caused brain abnormalities and head swelling.

However, Lydia proved to be a fighter and surprised the doctors who had predicted that she would either not survive or live for no more than 24 hours. When the anomaly was discovered during a scan at 20 weeks, doctors offered Bethan the option to terminate the pregnancy, but she refused to give up. Lydia's condition, known as hydrocephalus, caused an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricular system of her brain. Currently, Lydia's family hopes to receive treatment in the United States, where a partial draining of fluid from the skull can be performed, a procedure not yet available in the UK.

Bethan stated, "I can't just sit back and watch my child die. Human life is priceless." The doctors have given Lydia only a few more months to live, but Bethan is determined to do everything she can to extend her daughter's life. She added, "We have been through hell and back since last year. It feels like a door is slamming in our face at every turn." The family greatly appreciates the fundraising efforts and support from people, as they do not know of any other Dandy-Walker syndrome patients in Wales, mainly due to the high rate of abortions related to this condition.

Bethan also acknowledges her seven-year-old daughter, Caitlin, for being supportive during this difficult time. Dr. Benjamin Warf, a renowned neurosurgeon in Boston known for his work with children suffering from severe hydrocephalus, became familiar with Lydia's case. Lydia's parents, Bethan and David, reached out to Dr. Warf themselves, and he is likely to perform the surgery to reduce the fluid in Lydia's brain, thus improving her quality of life.

For a while, Lydia received specialized care at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, but due to a sudden deterioration in her condition, she was transferred to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool in July 2016. Rachel Burton, the Chair of the National Health Council in Wales, stated that she cannot comment in detail about Lydia's condition due to patient confidentiality but described it as a "complex set of problems" indicating the seriousness of Lydia's condition. The Department of Health is doing everything possible to support Lydia and her family during this challenging time.

According to American statistics, Dandy-Walker syndrome occurs in approximately one out of 2,500 newborns, while another source suggests a ratio of one in 35,000. In some cases, children with Dandy-Walker syndrome only live for a year or two. Others, with a milder form of the condition, may not even be aware of their developmental anomalies.