Miracle baby Julian turns one!
Monday 21 May 2018
Mater Mothers’ Hospitals fourth in-utero spinal surgery baby, Julian Nascimento, turned one on 22 May and we’re excited to see his progress!
A team from Mater Mothers’ Hospital, performed in-utero spinal surgery on Kelly and her 25 week-old in-utero baby, Julian, on 1 March 2017.
When deciding whether to proceed with the surgery, mum Kelly said they felt incredibly informed and very comfortable with Dr Gardener and his team.
“I knew what was going to happen, I knew all the risks but I was excited to give my baby the best chance.
“…our baby was a fighter. This baby was the one that made it through so we decided we had to fight for him,” she said.
Baby Julian was born at Mater Mothers’ Hospital at 37 weeks on 22 May 2017, weighing 3060 grams.
The Courier Mail recently caught up with the Cairns family.
Parents Kelly and Robson are amazed by Julian’s progress to date.
“We’re just so thrilled with how he’s doing!” Kelly said.
“He’s a happy and healthy little boy and we’re just so grateful to the Mater team.
“If we can help one other family by sharing our story, then I’m just so glad,” she said.
Prenatal surgery for spina bifida was pioneered by a team at Vanderbilt University Hospital in the USA in 1997. The Vanderbilt team travelled to Mater Mothers’ Hospital Brisbane in July 2016 to assist in Australia’s first case. As the first and only hospital offering the surgery in Australia, Mater Mothers’ Hospital in Brisbane provides a closer option for Australian and New Zealand families, reducing the need and cost of travel for in-utero spinal surgery for spina bifida.