As many of you will know, just a few weeks ago our unborn baby boy was diagnosed with Spina Bifida - a rare condition whereby the spine has not fully formed or closed over leaving a gap or ‘lesion’ in the spinal column. Because of this gap, nerves are exposed to the surrounding amniotic fluid which can cause permanent damage meaning the baby may experience paralysis depending on the area of the lesion and the extent of any such damage. In addition to this, the baby could also get excess fluid on the brain and may need a shunt throughout their life to drain this away and avoid cognitive damage.

Luckily for us, after a couple of tough weeks and a lot of scans and tests we found out that the lesion was low down on the spine (the lower the better), there had not yet been any excess fluid in the brain and the doctors were very happy with the baby's movements (including feet and legs!).

After a visit to London for more tests and scans to check we could proceed with the surgery, on 22 March, a specialist team of 30, opened Laura up, cut open her womb, exposed the baby’s lower back, closed the lesion and then stitched them both back up! There were risks involved as there are in any major operation however the doctors were extremely pleased with how it went and now, a week on, Laura and baby seem to be recovering well - in part due to the outstanding care and support they have received whilst staying on the EGA wing.

This early intervention has given our baby boy the best possible chance at a life without too much interference from this condition and after what Laura has already been through I wanted to do something to show my appreciation.