|
Birthday baby defies all the medical odds  By
Elaine Sheridan
Baby Sarah Morrison is so delicate that even a simple sneeze could break
one of her tiny bones.
She can never be given a proper hug by her doting parents — Sonia
and Philip.
Even before she was born she suffered 30 fractures while in the womb and
doctors gave her just two days to live.
But now in a remarkable tale of strength and courage the brave tot —
who has brittle-bone disease — has defied doctors to celebrate her
first birthday.
Last summer Sarah Morrison’s family moved from their home in Co.
Donegal to Sheffield so that they could be treated by a specialist bone
doctor at Sheffield Children’s Hospital.
Dad Philip Morrison described the turbulent journey the family has been
through.
The 31-year-old said: “She’s one of the most severely-affected
babies in the world.
“She was as good as dead in Ireland. We were told we were wasting
our time coming to Sheffield to seek help but thank God we didn’t
listen.
“We had to do something. And just look at her now — she’s
a year old and getting stronger every day.”
Sarah’s mum Sonia McCrossan was told her baby had Osteogenesis Imperfecta,
commonly known as brittle-bone disease, when she was seven months pregnant
and living in Ireland.
Their first baby, Leah, had also suffered from the same condition and
died at just two weeks old in 2005.
This time around the couple decided not to leave anything to chance and
so left their family, friends and Philip’s job as a fisherman to
make the move to Britain.
Now living in Southey Green mum Sonia believes that Sarah is only alive
today because of the extraordinary help given to them by Professor Nick
Bishop and his team at Sheffield Children’s Hospital.
The 34-year-old said: “We’re just so grateful for the excellent
treatment we’ve received here in Britain.
“I just wish I was living here when Leah was born. I have no doubt
that she would have survived under different circumstances.
“We have since found out that up to 50 families in Ireland have
children that have the same condition but there’s nowhere for them
to turn to.”
Due to her fragile nature baby Sarah spends most of her time lying on
a special mattress and has to be fed through a tube.
Despite the fact that she can only be held with the utmost of care and
for a short time, Sarah is undoubtedly a loving and affectionate child.
She is playful and full of smiles.
And her constant giggles and wriggles of delight are a joy to watch.
In the coming weeks her parents Philip and Sonia are hoping to move back
to the North of Ireland where Sarah can be treated by a newly-located
specialist-trained doctor in Belfast.
They are looking forward to being back nearer their family and friends.
Phillip said: “I’ve got high hopes for little Sarah.
“She’s getting stronger day by day and hopefully when she’s
older our daughter will be able to get around with the help of a wheelchair.
“She’ll have to get rods in every long bone in her body when
she’s about three or four years old.
“But in the meantime we’re just taking things as they come.
“It’s been a very tough couple of years for us but we’re
just so grateful little Sarah brings so much joy into our lives.” |
